Dynamic Role and Importance of Multi-Kingdom Communities in Mediterranean Wood-Pastures

Abstract

Wood-pastures are among the most valuable types of farmland for ecosystem services, including biodiversity, landscape, soil protection, water management and cultural values. This paper reviews the scientific literature regarding the dynamic role and importance of plant, fungal and ruminant communities in Mediterranean wood-pastures and assesses the favorable and unfavorable aspects of their occurrence through grazing management. The grasslands of the Mediterranean region play an important role both in forage material production and the conservation of biodiversity in plant communities and at the landscape level. These two management purposes are not conflicting but complementary when the management is based upon the knowledge of the effect of grazing on the ecology of these ecosystems. Conclusively, vascular plant, fungal and ruminant communities have a strong influence on ecosystem structure and functioning and they play a key role in many ecological services. Hence, integrated studies which combine multi-level ecological research are essential in order to identify regional and/or national needs in terms of biodiversity, genetic resources, sustainable rural development and conservation policies.