MeaDiv

In an increasingly anthropized world, understanding how human activities influence biodiversity in agroecosystems is crucial to ensure long-term sustainability of socio-ecological systems. Managed meadows hold high ecological values within European agroecosystems, being among the most species-rich habitats. The aim of MeaDiv is to study biodiversity at multiple levels in managed meadows, and to link biodiversity measures to local and landscape characteristics, and to ecosystem services.

• What are the main environmental factors affecting biodiversity of managed meadows?
• How different management practices influence some key ecosystem services provided by managed meadows?

To answer these questions, MeaDiv will gather data on i) biodiversity at multiple levels, including soil biota, plants, pollinators, orthopterans, and birds, ii) local and landscape features potentially affecting biodiversity, and iii) management practice such as mowing regimes and fertilization. The project will focus on managed meadows within agroecosystems in lowlands of northern Italy, and will take advantage of both classical and modern (eDNA) sampling techniques.