Exploring Assembly Trajectories of Abandoned Grasslands in Response to 10 Years of Mowing in Sub-Mediterranean Context

Abandoned semi-natural grasslands are characterized by lower plant diversity as a consequence of tall grasses spreading. Mowing is widely used restoration practice, but its effects to maintain the restored over time poorly investigated in sub-Mediterranean grasslands. Since 2010 central Apennines, we fenced grassland, invaded Brachypodium rupestre, which was mowed twice year. Before experiment started, recorded species cover 30 random sampling units (0.5 m × 0.5 m). The repeated every two years for total ten years. We linear mixed-effect models investigate trajectory functional and community weighted mean traits related space occupation, resource exploitation, temporal niche Grime’s CSR strategies. reduction weaker competitor exclusion exerted B. rupestre affected community. In short term (4–6 years), this fostered occupation strategies, decreasing convergence clonal strategies horizontal types. longer (8–10 mowing filtered ruderal i.e., with faster acquisition (lower leaf dry matter content, LDMC). LDMC initially convergent due dominance lowered higher differentiation