Abstract
Traditionally-managed cultural landscapes are structurally diverse and support high species diversity. Rationalization of agricultural landscapes leads to fragmentation and loss of species-rich semi-natural grasslands. Sustainable approaches to landscape management demand an understanding of the mechanisms that control biodiversity. Theory predicts that habitat fragmentation will be followed by loss of species and gene diversity. But attempts to understand the determinants of diversity in fragmented habitats are limited by a lack of historical data on landscape structure. Our project focusses on a mosaic, cultural landscape where we have detailed data on landscape structure and the history of present grassland fragments over the last 300 years. Within this area we will: estimate levels of plant species diversity/richness and gene diversity/allelic richness; investigate relationships between levels of gene diversity and species diversity on different scales within present-day grassland fragments; explore associations between present diversity and properties of the present and past landscapes; use our results in discussions with stakeholders.
Sweden