Management of meadows in the biosphere reserve east carpathians. I. Methodology and first results

Grasslands in the Biosphere Reserve East Carpathians are of cultural-historical as well as of scientific and nature conservation importance. They have a high biodiversity, are rich on endangered and rare species as well as east-carpathian species with occurrence on the west boundary of their area of distribution. During the last 25 years large changes were carried out in the mood of these grassland management, they are endangered by degradation and retreat, resp. extinction. Permanent monitoring plots were established covering all endangered meadow communities and 75% of grassland and wetland plant species, known from the Slovak part of the Biosphere Reserve. Species composition and abundance in relationship with mood of management is recorded each year. The aim of presented project is to find effective mechanisms of conservation, resp. restitution the species composition of grasslands in this region. Methodology and first results are presented in this paper.