Scientific articles
- Janišová, M., Bojko, I., Ivașcu, C.M., Iuga, A., Biro, A.-S. & Magnes, M. (2023) Grazing hay meadows: History, distribution, and ecological context. Applied Vegetation Science, 26, e12723. Dostupné na: https://doi.org/10.1111/avsc.12723
- Janišová, M. et al. (2022) Determinants of bryophyte assemblages in traditionally managed grasslands of the Carpathian Mts. Appl Veg Sci. 25, e12654. https://doi.org/10.1111/avsc.12654
- Janišová, M., Iuga, A., Ivașcu, C.M. & Magnes, M. (2021) Grassland with Tradition: sampling across several scientific disciplines. Vegetation Classification and Survey, 2, 19–35. https://doi.org/10.3897/VCS/2021/60739
- Janišová, M., Magnes, M. & Rötzer, H. (2021): Focused on farmers: On the irreplacable role of man and his animals in biodiversity conservation. Palaearctic Grasslands 49: 13-21. DOI: 10.21570/EDGG.PG.49.13-21
- Janišová, M., Biro, A., Iuga, A., Širka, P. & Škodová, I. (2020) Species-rich grasslands of the Apuseni Mts (Romania): role of traditional farming and local ecological knowledge. Tuexenia, 40, 409–427. https://www.tuexenia.de/publications/tuexenia/Tuexenia_2020_NS_040_0409-0427.pdf
Short films
- Grassland with tradition (2021):
https://vegsciblog.org/2021/03/19/grassland-with-tradition/
Video summary of the article by Monika Janišová and colleagues. It explains the methodology for a comprehensive survey of traditionally managed grassland ecosystems, encompassing abiotic, biological, and cultural aspects, reflecting the multidimensionality of traditional farming. The data obtained in this way provide valuable information for various scientific disciplines, including syntaxonomy, plant ecology, environmental anthropology, and ethnology. Examples of grassland management practices based on traditional ecological knowledge can serve as inspiration for the development of modern biodiversity conservation strategies applicable in rural regions.
- Ask Your Grandfather (2022):
https://vegsciblog.org/2023/06/17/to-graze-or-not-to-graze/
Did you know that many of the extremely species-rich grasslands in the Carpathian Mountains are managed through a combination of mowing and grazing? Watch a short film summarizing the findings from our five-year-long research on the Carpathian grasslands.
- Hutsuls in Maramures (2021):
Report from field research in July 2021 in Ukraine and Romania. We explored grassland biodiversity, management, and traditional ecological knowledge in two villages inhabited by Hutsuls: Bogdan in Ukraine and Poienile de sub Munte in Romania.
- Serbian Carpathians (2021):
Report from field research in June 2021 in the Serbian Carpathians. We investigated grassland biodiversity, management, and traditional ecological knowledge in two villages, Radenka and Suvi Do.
- World of Colors (2021):
Why are some grasslands colorful while others are “just green”? This short film reports from two Romanian villages, Padureni and Lopatari, located in the Eastern Carpathians, where traditional grassland management has transformed local grasslands into a vibrant landscape.
Presentations
Presentation in the English language at the international congress “Visions for Transition – How agriculture and cities of the future can save biodiversity” in May 2020.
- Karpatské biologické a kultúrne dedičstvo:
Presentation in the Slovak language for the Masaryk University in Brno, Czech Republic.
Blog contributions
- To graze or not to graze? Historical management of hay meadows in the Carpathian Mountains (2023)
https://vegsciblog.org/2023/06/17/to-graze-or-not-to-graze/
We are striving to preserve the biodiversity of hay meadows, but our management practices differ from those of our ancestors. In the past, farmers employed various management techniques on hay meadows, including grazing, fertilizing, and mowing, whereas today our approaches often involve only mowing. Let’s compare current management practices with historical hay meadow management, focusing on Carpathian hay meadows from 1850 to 1950. How did short-term spring and autumn grazing occur on hay meadows? Can the absence of grazing in hay meadows lead to changes in species composition and the structure of hay meadows? How might traditional grazing and fertilization of hay meadows influence the productivity and biodiversity of these grassland habitats?
- Grassland with tradition: sampling across several scientific disciplines
https://vegsciblog.org/2021/03/19/grassland-with-tradition/
Report on a newly developed methodology for an in-depth surveys of traditionally managed grassland ecosystems, including abiotic, biological, and cultural phenomena, reflecting the multidimensionality of traditional farming practices.
Media coverage
- Hay meadow story in the White Carpathians: it resisted plowing and the owner never joined the cooperative, which is why it is exceptionally diverse.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Do you need advice related to grassland biodiversity and management?
Ask the experts:
monika.janisova@gmail.com [botany and vegetation ecology]
robert.pazur@savba.sk [geography]
andrej.belak@savba.sk [antropology]