The influence of environmental factors and management methods on the vegetation of mesic grasslands in a central European mountain range

• The effect of habitat factors and management on meadow vegetation was studied.
• Species composition was shaped by altitude and some physico-chemical soil features.
• Cessation of management and mowing influenced the species composition.
• The species richness was affected by Ca, water capacity and N content.
• No effect of management methods on species richness was observed.

We examined how environmental factors combined with the diverse ways of the extensive management of mesic mountain grasslands affect species composition and diversity in the Polish part of Central Sudetes Mts. Based on the data from 100 research plots altitude, organic matter content and exchangeable magnesium in the soil, as well as the maximum soil water capacity and amount of sand fraction significantly affected species composition. Among the management methods, a significant effect on the differentiation of species composition was observed following the cessation of usage and mowing. Mown meadows had the highest share of forbs in the biomass, whereas those abandoned ones were dominated by tall and expansive grasses, mainly Calamagrostis epigejos. The species richest grasslands occurred in areas with soils of high water capacity, containing high concentrations of calcium and low amounts of total nitrogen. No significant effect of management methods on the total number of species as well as on the number of forb species was observed. Mown pastures had the highest mean value of the Shannon–Wiener diversity index.