Effects of Climate Change on Grassland Biodiversity and Productivity

Dear Colleagues,

The challenges that grasslands are facing today imply that aspects related to biodiversity cannot be ignored. The number and identity of plant species, their evenness within the community, their functional traits, and the manifold interactions between the plants and their environment affect the relationships between grassland productivity and biodiversity. However, data are still scarce on how the impact of climate change on the productivity of grasslands may depend on their biodiversity. This Special Issue places a major emphasis on the productivity–biodiversity interplay as a dynamic concept. We call for contributions that explore how (i) changes in weather variables (with increasing levels of atmospheric ([CO₂]) affect productivity–biodiversity relationships; and (ii) changes in carbon, nutrient and water pools (and their spatial heterogeneity) explain such relationships. Potential contributors are encouraged to illustrate the influence of legumes and other functional groups on soil carbon storage, and interpret them through the role played by grazing and fertilization gradients on productivity and biodiversity. Contributions should also aim to bridge issues of management and new technologies (remote and proximal sensing, model-based forecasting, mobile applications, etc.) well as the influence of policy measures and socio-economic contexts on the interplay between grassland productivity and biodiversity under a changing climate.

Dr. Gianni Bellocchi
Dr. Catherine Picon-Cochard
Guest Editors

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