Data from: Paying for conservation: a bioeconomic analysis of the effects of land management options on the viability of an endangered species, Eryngium alpinum

1. Land management is critical for biodiversity conservation in mountain
grasslands. It should be both ecologically effective and economically
efficient. We provide an economic analysis of different options (spring
and autumn grazing, mowing and abandonment) and their effects on
population viability of a rare plant species, Eryngium alpinum (Apiaceae),
in two French mountain grassland sites (Fournel and Pralognan). 2. Using
data collected in a ten-year, individual-based demographic study, we
estimated the effects of land management options on the population growth
rate and simulated the effect of combinations of options. Income earned
through each option was estimated using data on associated costs (price of
consumables, working time, wages) and benefits (forage production, quality
and price), and we assessed the economic effects of agri-enviro nment
subsidies (AESs). We also simulated the effects of increased frequencies
of extreme climatic events (such as the 2003 heatwave). 3. Spring grazing
was the worst option for E. alpinum demography but the best in economic
terms, as it provided net positive incomes. Autumn grazing was the best
option, resulting in positive growth rates and incomes, even if the latter
were lower than for spring grazing. Mowing was the second best option for
demography but resulted in economic losses for farmers. Abandonment
provided zero income and was not favourable to population growth. 4. In
Fournel, AESs allowed for economically and ecologically near-optimal
combinations of management options. In Pralognan, alternating years of
grazing with mowing resulted in an acceptable compromise, with positive
growth rates and incomes, but AESs were not sufficient to cover the
opportunity cost of spring and autumn grazing. Mowing was also
unattractive because of the inaccessibility of the site and impossibility
to recover the hay to make forage. 5. Simulations with increased frequency
of extreme climatic events resulted in negative growth rates in Pralognan,
questioning the continuation of AESs in extinction-prone populations. 6.
Synthesis and applications. The conservation effectiveness and economic
efficiency of grassland management could be improved by alternating
practices over several years. However, existing agri-environment subsidies
would barely be sufficient to increase uptake of the most favourable land
management options for biodiversity.