German grasslands in diverse landscapes show better drought resilience than uniform areas
Researchers at the University of Bonn compared agricultural landscapes in eastern and western Germany to assess how diversity affects drought tolerance.
Study compares German regions
The team investigated how crop species diversity and green infrastructure influence grassland performance during extreme weather. They focused on a heat wave that occurred in 2018 across meadows and pastures. Eastern Germany features large farms with contiguous land used in similar ways, while western Germany has smaller farms with varied usage.
Diversity improves resilience
Results indicate that uniform land use in the east meant a greater share of green spaces could not be used effectively during dry spells. In contrast, landscapes with more variety maintained better functionality when water was scarce. The study was published in the American Journal of Agricultural Economics as part of Collaborative Research Center 1502 DETECT.
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