Conservation, Biodiversity and Governance of Semi-Natural Grasslands in Southern Transylvania (Romania)
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Conservation, biodiversity and governance of semi-natural grasslands in Southern Transylvania (Romania) Dissertation for the award of the degree "Doctor of Philosophy" Ph.D., Division of Mathematics and Natural Sciences of the Georg-August University of Göttingen within the doctoral program Biology of the Georg-August University School of Science (GAUSS) submitted by Laura Sutcliffe from Great Yarmouth (UK) Göttingen, November 2013 Thesis Committee Prof. Dr. Christoph Leuschner Plant Ecology and Ecosystem Research, Georg-August University of Göttingen Prof. Dr. Rainer Marggraf Agricultural Economics and Rural Development, Georg-August University of Göttingen Dr. Thomas Becker Geobotany, University of Trier Members of the Examination Board Reviewer: Prof. Dr. Christoph Leuschner Plant Ecology and Ecosystem Research, Georg-August University of Göttingen Second Reviewer: Prof. Dr. Rainer Marggraf Agricultural Economics and Rural Development, Georg-August University of Göttingen Further members of the Examination Board Prof. Dr. Erwin Bergmeier Vegetation and Phytodiversity Analysis, Georg-August University of Göttingen Prof. Dr. Markus Hauck Plant Ecology and Ecosystem Research, Georg-August University of Göttingen Prof. Dr. Johannes Isselstein Institute of Grassland Science, Georg-August University of Göttingen Prof. Dr. Teja Tscharntke Agroecology, Georg-August University of Göttingen Date of the oral examination: 11.12.2013 Table of contents Chapter 1 – General introduction ........................................................................................... 1 Grassland conservation in Eastern Europe: threats and opportunities .................................... 2 Ecological drivers of grassland diversity: processes at multiple scales .................................. 4 Governance of grassland diversity: the case of common pastures in Romania ...................... 5 Implications of regional differences in European farmland conservation .............................. 5 Research questions .................................................................................................................. 6 Study design ............................................................................................................................ 6 References ............................................................................................................................. 10 Chapter 2 – Both local and landscape factors determine plant and Orthoptera diversity in the semi-natural grasslands of Transylvania, Romania ................................................. 13 Abstract ................................................................................................................................. 14 Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 15 Methods ................................................................................................................................ 17 Results ................................................................................................................................... 21 Discussion ............................................................................................................................. 25 Conclusions ........................................................................................................................... 30 References ............................................................................................................................. 31 Supplementary material ........................................................................................................ 38 Chapter 3 – Pastoral commons use in Romania and the role of the Common Agricultural Policy ................................................................................................................. 43 Abstract ................................................................................................................................. 44 Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 45 Methods ................................................................................................................................ 47 Commons in the study region and the Romanian context .................................................... 48 Historical development ......................................................................................................... 49 Effects of changes in agricultural policy .............................................................................. 51 New associations and their effect on commons governance ................................................ 52 Implications for the sustainability of commons use and future prospects ............................ 53 Conclusions ........................................................................................................................... 56 References ............................................................................................................................. 57 Chapter 4 – Wood-pasture management in Southern Transylvania (Romania): from communal to where? .............................................................................................................. 60 Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 61 Development and structure of wood-pastures in the Târnava Mare area in Southern Transylvania .......................................................................................................................... 62 Wood-pasture governance in the Saxon society ................................................................... 66 Communism, post-communism and accession to the European Union ................................ 69 Conclusions - from communal to where? ............................................................................. 72 References ............................................................................................................................. 74 Chapter 5 – Harnessing the biodiversity value of Central and Eastern European farmland .................................................................................................................................. 78 Abstract ................................................................................................................................. 79 Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 80 The legacy of communist agriculture in Central and Eastern Europe and its implications for farmland biodiversity ............................................................................................................ 81 Agricultural habitats in Central and Eastern Europe are underrepresented in the international literature ........................................................................................................... 85 Harnessing the biodiversity value of Central and Eastern European farmland .................... 86 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................ 87 References ............................................................................................................................. 88 Supplementary material ........................................................................................................ 93 Chapter 6 – Synopsis .............................................................................................................. 95 Central messages ................................................................................................................... 96 References ........................................................................................................................... 101 Summary ............................................................................................................................... 102 Zusammenfassung ................................................................................................................ 104 List of publications ............................................................................................................... 106 Acknowledgments ................................................................................................................. 108 Academic CV ........................................................................................................................ 109 Chapter 1 General introduction Chapter 1 – General introduction Grassland conservation in Eastern Europe: threats and opportunities Semi-natural grasslands are among Europe’s most species-rich habitats for many taxonomic groups (Poschlod & Wallis De Vries 2002), and are an important source of ecosystem services (Bullock et al. 2011). Although they consist of mostly natural (i.e. not sown) vegetation, they are reliant on human management in the form of regular low-intensity grazing or mowing to prevent succession (Poschlod & Wallis De Vries 2002). These grasslands have played a vital role in livestock farming over millennia of agricultural activity, forming part of a low-intensity cultural landscape that is considered one of Europe’s most important natural and cultural heritages (Schmitt