Data from: Effect of management on natural capital stocks underlying ecosystem service provision: a ‘provider group’ approach

Land management practices directly impact on the occurrence and condition of natural capital stocks, which can be measured using species diversity and abundance metrics. Species identity and abundance drive ecosystem service supply, either through effects of local diversity and/or through the presence of service providing species. However, the influence of management practices on the provision of ecosystem services is not adequately understood. We grouped grassland plant species into six groups according to desirable attributes (palatability and nutritional value to livestock; medicinal or aromatic compounds; nectar production; pollen production; nitrogen fixation; and endemic and red listed species), which we recognise as ecosystem service ‘provider groups’, and tested the influence of three land management practices (abandonment of mowing, grazing, and mowing) on diversity and abundance within these groups in upland temperate grasslands of Transylvania (Romania). All three management practices favoured at least one provider group, but hay making in upland grasslands favoured more provider groups than abandonment of mowing or grazing. The effects of management on diversity and abundance within several provider groups diverged from the effects on overall species diversity and abundance. Management, through changes in species composition, favours certain provider groups, and hence ecosystem services, over others. The provider group approach is more useful than overall species diversity metrics for assessing the provision of ecosystem services from landscapes and can be used to inform the development of agri-environment schemes and conservation policies aimed at meeting priorities for ecosystem service provision.土地管理措施（land management practices）直接影响自然资本存量（natural capital stocks）的存续状态与质量，可通过物种多样性与多度（species diversity and abundance）指标进行量化测算。物种组成与物种多度驱动生态系统服务（ecosystem service）供给，其作用路径既包括局域多样性的调控效应，也依赖于服务提供物种的存在。然而，当前学界尚未充分阐明土地管理措施对生态系统服务供给的调控作用。本研究依据六项合意属性（牲畜适口性与营养价值、药用或芳香化合物、产蜜能力、产粉能力、固氮作用，以及特有种与红色名录物种），将草原植物划分为六大类群，并将其定义为生态系统服务提供类群；随后以罗马尼亚特兰西瓦尼亚的温带山地草原（upland temperate grasslands）为研究区域，探究三种土地管理措施（停止刈割、放牧与刈割）对这些类群内物种多样性与多度的影响。三种管理措施均至少对一类服务提供类群产生正向促进作用，但山地草原的干草生产相较于停止刈割或放牧，更能惠及更多的服务提供类群。部分服务提供类群的多样性与多度对管理措施的响应模式，与整体群落物种多样性及多度的响应模式存在显著分歧。研究表明，土地管理措施通过改变群落物种组成，会偏向于促进特定服务提供类群，进而对相应的生态系统服务供给产生差异化影响。相较于整体物种多样性指标，服务提供类群方法在评估景观生态系统服务供给方面更具应用价值，可用于指导农业环境计划与保护政策的制定，以助力实现生态系统服务供给的优先目标。