| In several regions in Europe, the horse is becoming a common grazer in semi-natural and cultivated grasslands, though the pasturing benefits for animals and biodiversity alike are not universally appreciated. The composition of ground vegetation on pastures determines the value of both the forage for grazing animals as well as the biodiversity values for species associated with the pastoral ecosystems. We studied three pastures, each representing one of the management types in Southern Finland (latitudes 60-61): semi-natural, permanent and cultivated grassland. All have been grazed exclusively by horses for several decades. Se aimed to evaluate feeding values and horses' welfare, on the one hand, and impacts of horses on biodiversity in boreal conditions,... |
