Exploration of the response of soil properties and plant species composition to centuries-old traditional meadow irrigation

Abstract Only targeted and sustainable management will preserve extensively managed grasslands, one of Europe’s most species-rich habitats. Traditionally, largely abandoned irrigation might prove a strategy, but the understanding interactions among irrigation, soil properties plant species are low for generally humid ecoregion. We aimed at advancing our ecology by disentangling community responses to traditional lowland meadow from traditionally fertilization rates. studied composition diversity jointly with underlying links (Corg, total N, water holding capacity mesofaunal activity) nutrients (Nmin, P, K, Mg B). In field study, we compared 13 long-term irrigated non-irrigated (17 fertilized 9 non-fertilized) meadows. surveyed diversity, as well 1 year assuming annual variation. Irrigation led differences in without impact on sheer composition. Finer grain sizes due siltation increased nutrient storage. Hence, resource-acquisitive graminoid had advantages Thus, is not only mean biodiversity used meadows Central Europe may tool differentiate between functional traits.