Plant Community of the Year 2019: Oatgras Meadow

Abstract

Aiming at a better promotion of topics related to the conservation of ecosystems and plant communities, the board of the Floristisch-Soziologische Arbeitsgemeinschaft (FlorSoz)'' has launched the initiative to announce a ``Plant Community of the Year''. Therewith we hope to raise awareness and stimulate civil society and politics in promoting more efficient conservation strategies. For the forthcoming year, we choose the oatgras meadow as Plant Community of the Year 2019. These lowland hay meadows belong to the most threatened plant communities in Germany. Concepts and schemes aiming at the conservation and restoration of lowland hay meadows are urgently needed. This article provides a short overview of the high nature-conservation value of lowland hay meadows and their ecosystem services as well as of the floristic-phytosociological research, reasons for their sharp decline and appropriate countermeasures.