A study of meadows and pastures has shown that those at higher elevations are in worse condition than they were 20 years ago.
This content was published on
2 minutes
swissino.ch/sm
Dry grasslands are home to many rare and threatened plants in Switzerland, but because of agriculture, 95% of them have disappeared since the start of the 20th century. To protect the remaining ones, 3,600 plots were granted conservation status in 1995.
“In lowland areas, the habitat quality of dry grasslands largely remained constant, suggesting that the conservation measures have been successful. In contrast, the habitat quality of the particularly species-rich grasslands at higher elevations declined,” reports WSL.
Two possible culprits are fertiliser and neglect. “While fertilisation and irrigation are banned from designated dry grasslands in Switzerland, it may well be that airborne nutrients from the intensively used surroundings are deposited in protected areas, which might lead to vegetation changes,” explains WSL, noting that common, nutrient-loving plants can edge out the dry grassland species that prefer “nutrient-poor” conditions.
And if a previously farmed plot is suddenly allowed to grow wild, shrubs and trees can take over and displace the typical native vegetation. For this reason, the researchers recommend cutting back woody species and allowing animals to graze in these areas.
Swiss scientists call for action on disappearing insects
This content was published on
Researchers at the Swiss Academy of Sciences have sounded the alarm on disappearing insects, calling for urgent action to tackle the causes.
This content was published on
Swiss public broadcasters RTS and SRF are drastically reducing their communications via the social network X (formerly Twitter).
Israel: president of Swiss universities rejects academic boycott
This content was published on
Luciana Vaccaro, president of Swissuniversities, the umbrella group of Swiss universities, is not in favour of an academic boycott of Israeli universities.
First large-scale alpine solar plant approved in Switzerland
This content was published on
The approval was met with satisfaction by the project's organisers, but it also brings with it a certain amount of pressure.
Medieval squirrels may have ‘helped spread leprosy’
This content was published on
An examination of squirrel remains in the United Kingdom has opened up interesting questions and possibilities in terms of the history of the disease.
Pesticide residues found on 93% of organic Swiss farms
This content was published on
Most fields on organic farms in Switzerland are contaminated with pesticides, according to a study by the University of Neuchâtel.
This content was published on
No matter how green and beautiful it appears in postcards and social media posts, Switzerland is struggling to boost its biodiversity.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.