Development of an Index for Sustainable Use Assessment—A Case Study from Mesic Grasslands with Economic Potential in North Serbia (Vojvodina)

The mesic grasslands of the Molinio-Arrhenatheretea Tx. 1937 in Vojvodina could play a crucial role in biodiversity conservation, but also in local economies, providing essential ecosystem services, such as habitats for diverse species and resources for agricultural and pastoral activities. However, they face growing threats from unsustainable land use, urbanization and climate change. In this study, a database comprising 716 relevés and 636 plant species was created. All meadow plots were classified into seven habitat types and evaluated for their sustainable use potential using the index developed in this study, based on economically notable species, their status of protection and total cover. Through this index, moist or wet mesotrophic to eutrophic pasture demonstrates the highest potential, whereas temperate and boreal moist or wet oligotrophic grassland shows the lowest. This index offers a decision-support tool, optimizing economic benefits while minimizing environmental impact and offering guidelines for sustainable grassland management and policy recommendations tailored to local conditions. It also serves as a framework for other regions facing similar challenges, contributing to the advancement of grassland ecosystem service valuation and its preservation.