What is the effect of 19 years of restoration managements on soil and vegetation on formerly improved upland grassland?

Finding the best management strategies to restore grassland diversity and achieve a compromise between agricultural use biodiversity protection is global challenge. This paper reports novel data relating impacts of 19 years restoration managements predicted increase botanical within reseeded upland temperate common in less favoured areas Europe. The treatments imposed were: continuous sheep grazing, with without lime application; hay cutting only, followed by aftermath control treatment continuing previous site (liming, NPK application grazing). Defoliation type, irrespective liming, was key driver influencing plant species (hay grazing > Grazing only supported grasses at expense forbs, thus related significantly declined. Limed had higher concentrations Ca Mg soil compared those receiving no lime. However, effects on richness or composition were found. Potassium element whose plant-available concentration tended decrease response herbage removal. Postponing first defoliation middle growing season enables forbs reach seed production, this most effective option for (as as cut Although low-density often adopted means improving floristic biodiversity, deleterious mean that it cannot be recommended long-term maintenance European grasslands.