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Mountainous grasslands in South America, characterized by their high diversity, provide a wide range of contributions to people, including water regulation, soil erosion prevention, livestock feed provision, and preservation of cultural heritage. Prior research has highlighted the significant role of grazing in shaping the diversity and productivity of grassland ecosystems, especially in highly productive, eutrophic systems. In such environments, grazing has been demonstrated to restore grassland plant diversity by reducing primary productivity. However, it remains unclear whether these findings are applicable to South American mountainous grasslands, where plants are adapted to different environmental conditions. To address this uncertainty, we conducted a meta-analysis of experiments excluding livestock grazing to assess its impact on plant diversity and productivity across mountainous grasslands in South America. In alignment with studies in temperate grasslands, our findings indicated that herbivore exclusion resulted in increased aboveground biomass but reduced species richness and Shannon diversity. The effects of grazing exclusion became more pronounced with longer durations of exclusion; nevertheless, they remained resilient to various climatic conditions, including mean annual precipitation and mean annual temperature, as well as the evolutionary history of grazing. In contrast to results observed in temperate grasslands, the reduction in species richness due to herbivore exclusion was not associated with increased aboveground biomass. This suggests that the processes governing (sub)tropical grassland plant diversity may differ from those in temperate grasslands. Consequently, further research is necessary to better understand the specific factors influencing plant diversity and productivity in South American montane grasslands and to elucidate the ecological implications of herbivore exclusion in these unique ecosystems.

This paper outlines an overview of the current state of the environmental sustainability of açaí (Euterpe oleracea) cultivation on the Amazon floodplains in the state of Pará, Brazil. Currently under the threat of becoming a global resource frontier, Pará shows an increasing expansion of areas with unsustainable land use practices such as cattle ranching and soy cultivation, being the main drivers of deforestation. Due to the increased international demand for this recently coined superfood, cultivation of açaí has increased. Along with this increase, a shift from traditionally extractivist harvest towards more intensive management and monoculture cultivation of the fruit is currently observed. This paper addresses two central questions, first assessing to what extent current açaí cultivation is sustainable on the floodplains. Secondly, evaluating the potential role of certification as a tool for sustainable development of the sector. This paper uses a combination of literature research, database searches and semi-structured stakeholder interviews, and structured outputs along the most prominent environmental sustainability themes of the Sustainable Intensification Metrics Framework (SIMeF). Key findings show a variety in sustainability impacts across the currently existing management spectrum. Ranging from positive ecological impacts in extractivism to negative impacts of monocultures, driving deforestation rates over time and weakening ecosystem functioning and climate resilience. The agroforests, representing the intermediate on the management spectrum, present a gradient themselves, including high- and low- intensity agroforests, of which the latter emerge as a sustainable cultivation method while the prior poses significant ecological risks such as impacts on biodiversity and increased emission levels. Gaps in the current research landscape critical to overcome regard traceability and distributions of management intensities within the industry. Beyond policy, c

It is yet unclear how applying 1,5 2 m wide no till strips in otherwise fully tilled Almond orchards affect s the soil’s hydrological behaviour. This is a relevant knowledge gap, as in recent years this practise has been applied as a means to regenerate the soil, while keeping the partial benefits of tilling in Mediterranean areas. This led to the research questions: i) What is the spatial pattern of topsoil moisture content in a Mediterranean rainfed strip tilled Almond orchard, Southeast Spain? Spain?, ii) What is the temporal pattern of topsoil moisture content in a Mediterranean rainfed strip tilled Almond orchard, Southeast Spain In this research, dielectric conductivity measurements have been used to as an indica tion for the spatial and temporal patterns of topsoil moisture content in a rainfed strip tilled mediterranean almond orchard. Soil compaction testing, point intercept vegetation analysis, soil texture testing, and a Visual Soil Quality assessment all have been performed to give more context to the found patterns. The results showed an increase of mea sured dielectric conductivity (indication soil moisture) away from the almond trees, peaking however not farthest away from the trees but where topsoil compaction was highest (lowest value 28 mV = 2,6 %vol , highest value 172 mV = 14,0 %vol, estimated permanent wilting point = 17,5 %vol). Farthest away from the trees values were still higher than closest to the trees. Standard deviation (indicating change of soil moisture over time) was highest at 0,1m (and the opposite 6,9m), and in the 2,0m 4,5m zone away from the trees, also for the control plot. Sensor readings were off due to influence by touch (0,14 2,26 %vol, media n ~1,0 vol It can be concluded that the topsoil moisture content is lower in the till areas, relative to the no till areas. This report also includes a proposal on how to determine if a dielectric conductivity sensor gives true values, or whether it’s readouts are affected by degree of

High-elevation tropical grasslands in South America are vital for sustaining the livelihoods of indigenous communities, particularly in the Central Andes where herding of both wild and domesticated camelids has been a primary socio-economic activity for centuries. However, these grasslands are facing challenges due to changes in land use, economic activities, and climate, posing threats to the sustainability of camelid herding. Here, we determine the intricate relationship between land use management and camelid populations of the highlands of Apolobamba National Park in Bolivia. We identified two critical milestones in land use management across the indigenous communities: the creation of the Tierra Comunitaria de Origen (TCO) in 1999 and the expansion of the National Park in 2000. These initiatives collectively resulted in the diversification of livelihood sources by increasing the number of mining concessions and facilitating the management of wild camelids for their wool and fibers, catering to international markets. We found that this diversification of livelihood sources was negatively related to the densities of domesticated camelids across the studied communities. In contrast, the densities of wild camelids populations increased with an increasing number of mining concessions, likely due to local conservation efforts and reduced competition with livestock. Our results indicate a potential shift in land use management strategies and suggest that mining activities encroach upon pastoralism practices within indigenous communities. Understanding the long-term effects of land use changes is essential for providing comprehensive and sustainable land use strategies that will support both grasslands and animal conservation while providing livelihood security in this ecologically sensitive region.

Western European coastal dunes are vulnerable ecosystems that are at risk of losing valuable biodiversity due to a decrease in dune dynamics and an increase in vegetation encroachment. This poses a threat to the flora and fauna of Natura 2000 priority habitat types related to open, dynamic coastal dune systems. Introduced grazing with animals such as horses, cattle, and sheep is used to reduce encroachment, with their effect depending on the used grazing regime, grazing pressure, and species assemblage. To assess the impact of introduced grazing on Western-European coastal dune systems, a literature review is conducted. This review assesses the impacts of grazing on flora and fauna in coastal dune systems in Western Europe, including areas managed by PWN in the Netherlands. The objective was to determine whether the effect of grazing in Western-European coastal dune systems is similar to that observed in PWN-managed areas. Results of this literature review shows that the effects of introduced herbivores on flora and fauna are complex and context specific. However, grazing has overall been found to enhance plant diversity and reduce the abundance of species linked to encroachment while promoting the growth of herbaceous indicator species linked to the conservation of that specific habitat. The impact on vegetation structure differs across studies, but in most cases grazing increases the openness and reduces shrub cover. Grazing has a neutral or positive effect on butterfly richness and abundance, but the impact on other invertebrates depends on their habitats and requires more monitoring to be concluded upon. Extensive grazing has a mixed effect on breeding birds, depending on the preferred habitat of the bird species. The findings from studies conducted both inside and outside of PWN areas suggest that the impacts of grazing are varied. Local context and external factors strongly influence the impact of grazing. Environmental factors may have a greater impact on flo

Nowadays, the need for a transition to sustainable agriculture is increasing, following the decline in farmland biodiversity and other environmental issues due to the intensification of agriculture. A decline in biodiversity can affect the delivery of ecosystem services, including those that are important for agricultural practices. The RIVM is developing a social cost-benefit analysis of the implementation of field margins based on ecosystem services. Within this project, this study focused on the effect of field margins on the ecosystem services ‘biodiversity’ and ‘natural attenuation’ in the Hoeksche Waard in two scenarios: arable land and arable land with field margins. Models for biodiversity and natural attenuation were developed and implemented: (1) attributes were identified that could be used to quantify the delivery of an ecosystem service or the subfunctions underpinning the ecosystem service, (2) a conceptual multi-attribute model for quantification of biodiversity and natural attenuation was developed, (3) input data and information on the potential attributes was collected and organized in tables, (4) the collected data was used for calculating ecosystem services for the two scenarios (arable fields with and without margins). The implementation of field margins in the Hoeksche Waard, with reference value 1 for arable land without field margins, had a positive effect on the biodiversity (biodiversity capacity: 1.31-1.81) and natural attenuation (natural attenuation capacity: 1.78-2.06). The results of this study can be used as information for the social cost-benefit analysis, together with the other non-monetarized ecosystem services. Furthermore, this information is valuable for creating awareness on sustainable agriculture and shows the importance of future research relating to functional agrobiodiversity and sustainable agriculture.

This Major Research Project has investigated the connections between aboveground carbon storage and belowground properties of Dutch food forests. Aboveground carbon was measured for 22 food forests, and for the first time hedgerows were measured seperately in elligible forests. Belowground variables were assessed for 33 food forests, including soil chemical and physical analysis and worm count. Aboveground carbon stock showed near exponential growth after 5 years of establishment. The inclusion of hedgerow measurements has greatly increased the estimated carbon stock of young foor forests. Belowground variables were strongly related to soil type, but not to food forest age. A best-fit model analysis highlights the role of age, soil type and plant available sodium for the development of the aboveground carbon stock.

Wood is an essential natural resource that can be utilized in various ways, such as for construction, bioenergy, and paper production. The flow of wood from harvest to use has the potential to be optimized to achieve circularity and enhance sustainability through proper management and increased recycling rates. This objective is particularly interesting to “Orchid City,” a concept for a future-proof, self-sufficient community of up to 50,000 inhabitants. A material flow analysis was therefore conducted for Orchid City to determine whether the community could self-sustain its wood consumption based on own wood production. The recycling rates of the wood flow were evaluated to determine if efficiencies in the system could be increased to enhance the circularity of the wood. Next, recommendations were made for which tree species to grow and where the wood should be produced. The cascade-use principle of wood was evaluated to determine which order of uses is most efficient. Finally, the feasibility of an Orchid City in the Netherlands was evaluated in terms of geographical location and spatial requirements. This report concludes that an Orchid City of 50,000 inhabitants (occupying 19,700 ha in total) can be self-sufficient in terms of wood, given increases in efficiencies within the recycling system. The total amount of wood that needs to be produced is 24,275 tonnes per year and Orchid city exceeds this amount by 4,686 tonnes. The corresponding land claim, needed to fulfill these growth requirements is 2,410 ha for natural forest, 2,994 ha for agroforestry, and 9,039 ha for silvopasture. From a wood flow perspective, it is feasible that such a community could be placed in certain areas of the Netherlands with similar land use regimes and low population densities. However, further research is needed to consider more complex issues and potential constraints to implementation, such as land tenure and regulation, and current high land prices.