Fire impacts in European grassland ecosystems

Abstract

Grasslands cover an important portion of the world’s terrestrial area and provide a large number of ecosystem services. The high biodiversity of these ecosystems and the pressures they are subjected to make these habitats a priority to conserve. Grasslands are natural in Europe, but since the Neolithic their area has expanded as a consequence of forest clearing for agriculture and cattle. The use of fire was important in this expansion. These man-made landscapes have high biodiversity and are home to threatened plants and animals that depend on these habitats for survival. Fire in grasslands have a high rate of spread, do not have negative impacts on soil, and the ash produced is a source of nutrients. Fire can be beneficial because it increases some nutrients important to plant growth over the short-term. The return of soil conditions to pre-fire levels is fast. Nevertheless, short fire intervals may have a negative impact on vegetation composition, richness and fauna. Therefore, finding the appropriate interval for fire use in the management of different grassland types is essential. Land abandonment is a serious threat to the maintenance of semi-natural grasslands, where vegetation regrowth and artificial plantations are reducing the area covered by pastures. Fire can be reintroduced to maintain, conserve and restore these areas. However, in the European context, more understanding and support is needed from the public, stakeholders and politicians, and to achieve this more research and education are needed.