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The Dry Grasslands in Slovakia: History, Classification and Management

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Eurasian Steppes. Ecological Problems and Livelihoods in a Changing World

Part of the book series: Plant and Vegetation ((PAVE,volume 6))

Abstract

Dry steppe-like grasslands are of the most endangered habitats in Slovakia since the natural distribution of suitable sites supporting this vegetation is limited. These sites are refuges for many rare thermophilous species of plants and invertebrates, and significantly contribute to the biodiversity of the European landscapes. The land use of dry grasslands in Slovakia experienced some dramatic changes in the last decades. The most crucial factor negatively influencing the biodiversity of grassland habitats is cessation of traditional extensive management activities, abandonment, afforestation, ploughing and building that resulted in area reduction, fragmentation, and degradation of dry grasslands. We summarise the actual results of rather intense dry grassland research in eastern Central Europe from the perspectives of (I) their establishment history, (II) variability and classification, and (III) conservation and management. Summarizing the actual archaeological and palynological knowledge we polemicize about the potential existence of original dry grassland sites in the contact zone of the Western Carpathians and the Pannonian Basin where the steppe-like vegetation occurred continually since the Holocene. An overview of phytosociological and habitat classification of the steppe-like grasslands according to results of the newest surveys and expert perspectives is given including a call for need of revision of the classification of some European natural habitat types of community interest but with an unclear delimitation. Practical management recommendations, based on the ecological requirements of dry grassland habitats, are discussed.

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Abbreviations

AT:

Austria

CZ:

the Czech Republic

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by the grant ‘Management models for grassland habitats’ (SK0115) supported through the EEA Financial Mechanism, the Norwegian Financial Mechanism and the state budget of the Slovak Republic and grant VEGA 2/0181/09 financed by the Science Grant Agency of the Ministry of Education of the Slovak Republic and Slovak Academy of Sciences.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Botany, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia

    Daniela Dúbravková

  2. Homeland Museum in Považská Bystrica, Považská Bystrica, Slovakia

    Daniela Dúbravková

  3. Department of Archaeology, Faculty of Arts, Constantine the Philosopher University, Nitra, Slovakia

    Mária Hajnalová

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  1. Daniela Dúbravková
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  2. Mária Hajnalová
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Correspondence to Daniela Dúbravková .

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  1. , Ecology & Biodiversity, Utrecht University, Padualaan, De Uithof 8, Utrecht, 3584 CH, Netherlands

    Marinus J.A. Werger

  2. , Ecology & Biodiversity, Utrecht University, Padualaan, De Uithof 8, Utrecht, 3584 CH, Netherlands

    Marja A. van Staalduinen

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Dúbravková, D., Hajnalová, M. (2012). The Dry Grasslands in Slovakia: History, Classification and Management. In: Werger, M., van Staalduinen, M. (eds) Eurasian Steppes. Ecological Problems and Livelihoods in a Changing World. Plant and Vegetation, vol 6. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-3886-7_8

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