Long term effects of grazing on plant biodiversity in grasslands

The effects of long term grazing on plant biodiversity of several grasslands were studied in northern Greece. Five grasslands were selected, three at the elevation zone (100-600m altitude) and two at the higher elevation zone (600-1200m). The vegetation composition, the frequency appearance and richness of the species were measured for all grasslands and the index of similarity was determined. The results indicated that there was similarity between the low and higher altitude grasslands under heavy grazing. The dominant species are proposed to be used as key species for the heavily grazed grasslands.