About the Book
While grasslands face a number of challenges, such as encroachment from intensive farming and the impact of climate change, there is a growing recognition of the key role they can play in supporting the transition to more resilient, sustainable and circular agricultural systems.
Advances in temperate grassland science and management reviews the wealth of research addressing these challenges and opportunities, focussing on the role of grasslands in agricultural systems and, in particular, in improving livestock health and product quality. It summarises recent research on grassland composition and management in optimising the contribution it can make, including regional case studies on grassland management in practice.
This book builds on a successful earlier volume by Burleigh Dodds Science: Improving grassland and pasture management in temperate agriculture (2018).
Table of Contents:
Part 1 The role of grasslands in agricultural systems
1.The societal role of grasslands in agriculture: Nick van Eekeren, Louis Bolk Institute, The Netherlands;
2.Assessing the impact of climate change on grasslands: Martin Lukac, University of Reading, UK;
3.The role of grasslands in mixed farming/crop-livestock systems: Friedhelm Taube, Christian Albrechts University Of Kiel, Germany;
Part 2 Grassland dynamics and management
4.Plant–soil–animal interactions and nutrient cycling in grazed grasslands: Lynn E. Sollenberger, University of Florida, USA; Marta M. Kohmann, University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA; K. Roger Trumpp and Jose C.B. Dubeux, Jr, University of Florida, USA;
5.Advances in grazing management: Michael O'Donovan, Teagasc, Ireland;
6.The use of precision technologies in grassland management: Laurence Shalloo, Teagasc, Ireland;
7.The long path from data collection to sustainable grassland management: Nina Buchmann, ETH Zurich, Switzerland;
8.From data collection to decision support for sustainable pasture management: Magali Jouven, L’Institute Agro Montpellier, France;
9.Advances in managing grassland weeds: Maria-Teresa Sebastia, CTFC/University of Lleida, Spain;
Part 3 Grasslands, grazing and animal nutrition: Effects on health and product quality
10.Contribution of forages for high nutrient use efficiency in ruminant feeding: Martin Gierus, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Austria;
11.The effects of pasture grazing on milk quality: Anjo Elgersma, Ghent University, Belgium;
12.Grasslands and One Health: Frédéric Leroy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium;
Part 4 Development in botanical composition of grasslands
13.Improving biodiversity in grassland systems: Irina Herzon, University of Helsinki, Finland; James M. Bullock, UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, The UK; Jean-Yves Humbert and Raphaël Arlettaz, University of Bern, Switzerland; Péter Török, University of Debrecen, Hungary; and Karin Stein-Bachinger, Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research, Germany;
14.Designing and developing multi-species swards/herbal leys: Thomas Moloney, DLF, Ireland;
15.The role of plantain (Plantago lanceolata) in reducing nitrogen loss from grazed mixed-species pastures: Ina Pinxterhuis, Dairy NZ, New Zealand;
16.Advances in plant secondary metabolites and endophytes in grasslands: David E. Hume, AgResearch - Grasslands Research Centre, New Zealand;
Part 6 Case studies
17.Grasslands in Europe: challenges and solutions: Agnes van den Pol-van Dasselaar;
18.Challenges facing alpine/mountain grasslands: Giovanni Peratoner, Laimburg Research Centre, Italy; Caren M. Pauler and Manuel K.Schneider, Agroscope, Switzerland; Vibeke Lind, NIBIO, Norway; Andreas Klingler and Andreas Schaumberger, AREC Raumberg-Gumpenstein, Austria; Enrico Sturaro, University of Padova, Italy;
19.Grasslands in New Zealand: challenges and solutions: David Stevens, AgResearch, New Zealand;
20.Conclusion: Agnes van den Pol-van Dasselaar;
About the Author :
Dr Agnes van den Pol-van Dasselaar is Professor of Grasslands and Grazing at Aeres University of Applied Sciences, the Netherlands. Before joining Aeres in 2015, she spent more than 20 years at Wageningen University & Research, where she held several senior roles, including Head of Grass and Forage Systems. Dr van den Pol-van Dasselaar has published widely and is internationally known for her research that spans the full spectrum of grassland science, with a focus on grazing, ecosystem services, grass and forage management, greenhouse gas emissions, and sustainable production systems. She is particularly interested in how farmers’ mindsets and environments shape ecosystem services, and in fostering multi-stakeholder processes that connect science, practice, and policy. Dr van den Pol-van Dasselaar is actively involved in the European Grassland Federation (EGF) having chaired its Working Group “Grazing” for 14 years, served as President, and currently serving as Federation Secretary and member of the EGF Scientific Advisory Board. Her leadership in European grassland networks and commitment to linking science with practice underpin an approach that bridges fundamental and applied research with on-farm practice, engaging scientists, farmers, advisers, students, and industry in sustainable grassland management.
