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Historical Landscape Perspectives on Grasslands in Sweden and the Baltic Region

Author

Listed:
  • Ove Eriksson

    (Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences, Stockholm University, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden)

  • Sara A. O. Cousins

    (Department of Physical Geography and Quaternary Geology, Stockholm University, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden)

Abstract

A landscape perspective is generally recognized as essential for conservation biology. The main underlying reason is that species respond to features of the landscape at various spatial scales, for example habitat area, connectivity, and matrix habitats. However, there is also an “historical” component of a landscape perspective, which has not received similar attention. The underlying reasons for historical effects are that humans have influenced landscapes during several millennia and that species and communities may respond slowly to land use change. An historical perspective on landscapes also relates to how we perceive “natural” vs. “cultural” landscapes, and thus how conservation actions are motivated and valuated. We review studies from Sweden and the Baltic region in the context of an historical landscape perspective, focusing on semi-natural grasslands, i.e. , grasslands formed by long-term human management for grazing and hay-making. Semi-natural grasslands are today a high concern for conservation. Historical effects are ubiquitous on species distributions and patterns of species richness, and have important implications for developing informed conservation programs in semi-natural grasslands, particularly with regard to assumptions of historical baselines, the choice of conservation targets, and insights on time-lags in the response of species to current landscape change.

Suggested Citation

  • Ove Eriksson & Sara A. O. Cousins, 2014. "Historical Landscape Perspectives on Grasslands in Sweden and the Baltic Region," Land, MDPI, vol. 3(1), pages 1-22, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:3:y:2014:i:1:p:300-321:d:33994
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Angelika Krebs, 2014. "Why Landscape Beauty Matters," Land, MDPI, vol. 3(4), pages 1-19, November.
    2. Ove Eriksson, 2016. "Historical and Current Niche Construction in an Anthropogenic Biome: Old Cultural Landscapes in Southern Scandinavia," Land, MDPI, vol. 5(4), pages 1-17, November.
    3. Michał Sobala, 2020. "Mountain Meadows and Glades of the Carpathians—Type or Element of Landscape? The Problem of Delimitation and Typology of Mountain Pasture Landscapes," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(9), pages 1-18, May.
    4. Lucia Rocchi & Anastasija Novikova & Bernardas Vaznonis, 2022. "Assessing Consumer Preferences and Willingness to Pay for Agricultural Landscape Attributes in Lithuania," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-15, September.
    5. Ove Eriksson & Matilda Arnell & Karl-Johan Lindholm, 2021. "Historical Ecology of Scandinavian Infield Systems," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-24, January.
    6. Michael Manton & Per Angelstam, 2018. "Defining Benchmarks for Restoration of Green Infrastructure: A Case Study Combining the Historical Range of Variability of Habitat and Species’ Requirements," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(2), pages 1-17, January.
    7. Jana Špulerová & Alexandra Kruse & Paola Branduini & Csaba Centeri & Sebastian Eiter & Viviana Ferrario & Bénédicte Gaillard & Fausto Gusmeroli & Suzan Jurgens & Drago Kladnik & Hans Renes & Michael R, 2019. "Past, Present and Future of Hay-making Structures in Europe," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(20), pages 1-22, October.

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