Grazing hay meadows: History, distribution, and ecological context

Abstract

Abstract Aims Once widely used across Europe, grazing of hay meadows is now a rare agricultural practice that is mainly applied in rural regions with maintained traditional agriculture. In this review, we examine the knowledge on grazing hay meadows in the Carpathian Mountains, including its historical distribution, implementation and timing, potential impacts on grassland productivity and biodiversity, and implications for grassland conservation and restoration. Location The Carpathian Mountains (43.8–50.1°N, 16.9–27.1°E). Methods We conducted a literature review including biological, ecological, agricultural, ethnological, and historical sources. Results and Conclusions In each of the seven farming systems that existed in parallel in the Carpathian Mountains before agricultural intensification, grazing of hay meadows was applied regularly. Spring, autumn, and occasionally summer grazing, along with corralling and manuring of hay meadows, were integral parts of these systems, adapted to the seasonal movement of dairy farms across various agroecosystems. The data reviewed provide insight into the role of animals in hay meadow management, as well as how the breakdown of these historical farming systems is impacting local biodiversity, the economy, and the community. According to the literature sources, grazing hay meadows has numerous positive impacts on grassland biodiversity, including suppressing fast‐growing competitors, reducing the accumulation of litter, increasing the availability of germination gaps, dispersing seeds through zoochory, supporting ground‐nesting birds through later mowing, and promoting the regeneration of plants from seeds. From this perspective, the combination of mowing and grazing can be considered a promising tool in current grassland conservation and restoration efforts.