A coastal grassland was used as a model system to examine how grazing management, un-grazed (for six years), rabbit grazed or fully grazed (ponies 0.2ha−1, cattle 0.05ha−1 and rabbits 45ha−1), affected biodiversity and ecosystem service provision, by measuring an extensive suite of biophysical variables as proxies for ecosystem services. For ‘supporting services’, nutrient cycling was greatest in un-grazed grassland but primary productivity did not differ. The ‘provisioning service’ of food production was only provided by fully grazed grassland. For grazing effects on ‘regulating services’ total carbon (C) stock did not differ and effects on pest regulating invertebrates and pollinator abundance were variable. The potential for flood control was considered greatest in the un-grazed grassland; with faster water infiltration than in the fully grazed grassland. The ‘cultural service’ of environmental appreciation was considered higher in fully grazed grassland due to significantly greater plant species richness, more forb species and more forbs flowering than in un-grazed grassland.
ABSTRACT Questions How did α‐, β‐ and γ‐ plant diversity of coastal dune slack plant communities change over 37 years during a period of significant changes in conservation management practices? Location Ainsdale Sand Dunes National Nature Reserve, England. Methods We surveyed plant communities in dune slacks at Ainsdale Sand Dunes National Nature Reserve at two time points: in 1985 and in 2022. This period represents a time of significant change involving the introduction of conservation grazing in the context of declining natural rabbit populations and a changing environment. Results We show that over 37 years, α‐diversity remained relatively stable, but γ‐diversity increased, and β‐diversity indicated shifts in community structure. Specifically, across the open dunes we observed a decline in positive dune slack indicator species (i.e., of conservation interest), an increase in Salix repens (frequency, cover and height) and a shift towards shade‐tolerant and nitrogen‐loving plants (as evidenced by Ellenberg values). Conclusions These findings suggest that despite the introduction of a conservation grazing programme, current grazing patterns (both wild and livestock) may not provide the level of disturbance required to maintain the open habitats and plant communities typical of healthy dune slacks.
Coastal sand dunes are complex transitional systems hosting high levels of biodiversity and providing important benefits to society. In this paper we aimed to evaluate the multi-service nature of ecosystem services (ES) supply in the dunes of the Italian Adriatic coastwithin Natura 2000 (N2K) sites. We i) identified ES indicators and assessed the supply capacity (Climate regulation, Protection fromwind and aerosol, Erosion regulation, Recreation and Tourismand Existence value of biodiversity) of natural dune ecosystems of European conservation concern; ii) upscaled this data to create an inventory of ES supply for all dune N2K sites in the study area; iii) explored the trade-offs among ES; and iv) summarized and spatially compared the overall multi-service value of the N2K sites.The study provides a method for quantifying the role of N2K sites in supplying benefits for our society. We found that the multi-service capacity of coastal dunes is uneven within sites and within administrative regions. This variability is related to both ecological (e.g. distribution, ecological integrity, extent and conservation status of dune habitats) and administrative (e.g. local implementation of the Habitats Directive) characteristics of the analysed area. ES are not coupled as several sites with high values for one ES show very low values for others. The results suggest that conservation actions should favour restoration of the natural dune zonation, since this underpins multi-service ES supply. The approach can distinguish regions with high ES values and regions where the paucity of protected areas represents a gap in ES supply, fact that offers an incentive to enhance the protection strategy butalso suggests an urgent need to improve the N2K network by enlarging existent sites and including new ones.
Denna policybrief (D4.1) har tagits fram som en del av Horizon Europe PLAN-B-projekt (bidragsavtal nr. 101135308) i samarbete med sitt systerprojekt AquaPLAN (bidragsavtal nr. 101135471). Denna policybrief ger strategisk vägledning för Europeiska unionen att hantera ljusföroreningar, erkänna dess negativa miljöpåverkan, harmonisera insatser och tillhandahålla ett ramverk för samordnade nationella åtgärder, samt att främja vetenskapsbaserad reglering och hantering av artificiellt ljus på natten (Artificial Light at Night, ALAN). För att stödja politiska åtgärder för att minska ljusföroreningar uppmuntras individer att underteckna ett stödformulär, medan organisationer kan stödja initiativet genom att underteckna ett stödbrev, vilket finns tillgängligt på begäran från de kontakter som anges i policybriefingsdokumentet. Rekommenderad citeringYakushina, Y., Klenke, R., Fletcher, D., Jones, L., Nascimento, A. T. A., Teixeira, C. P., Goulart, V. D. L. R, Maggi, E., Hoelker, F., Barnett, C., Tysiac, P., Sanchez de Miguel, A., Sheriff, G., Lomas, M. J., Van Hoorick, G., & Wood, M.D. (2025). Restoring the night: A policy agenda for light pollution mitigation in Europe. Policy brief written by the PLAN-B project (Horizon Europe No. 101135308) and the AquaPLAN project (Horizon Europe No. 101135471). Översatt av Henrik Sandgren. Zenodo. Disclaimer This publication was produced under the Horizon Europe programme (Grant Agreement No. 101135308) as part of the PLAN-B project. The content reflects only the views of the authors. The European Commission is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained herein. The information is provided “as is” without warranty of fitness for a particular purpose. The PLAN-B Consortium accepts no liability for any direct, indirect, or consequential damages arising from its use. This is a Swedish translation of the Policy Brief “Restoring the Night: A Policy Agenda for Light Pollution Mitigation in Europe” (published June 2025) (access the original version here).
Urbanisation has led to numerous challenges for human sustenance, which have been aggravated by progressive climate change. Green Infrastructure (GI), which involves working with nature has gained increasing recognition as a multifunctional approach to address urban heat island challenges, including heat mitigation, thermal comfort enhancement, and air pollution reduction. However, it is crucial to establish the multi-benefits of GI in the early stages of the design process to effectively evaluate their impact. Whilst there are scientific studies showing the singular benefit of GI (e.g., heatwave reduction), studies have rarely quantified their multi-benefits. As a result, GI is often undervalued, constituting a barrier to its implementation. This study aims to evaluate the co-benefits of urban parks for reducing the harmful effects of urban heating, improving thermal comfort, and reducing air pollution using mobile monitoring measurements. To achieve this, a comprehensive monitoring campaign was conducted, collecting data inside an urban park and surrounding area to find out the extent of co-benefits provided by urban parks.The data for this study was collected via mobile monitoring along a fixed route during summer. Meteorological parameters and air pollutant levels were measured using a set of different sensors. The study's findings reveal significant benefits provided by the urban park environment. The mean air temperature during morning runs recorded 18.2°C within the park, compared to 19.6°C in the surrounding built-up area, demonstrating a 1.4°C (7.1%) reduction. In the afternoon, the average temperature within the park was 24.6°C, contrasting with 27.0°C in the built-up area, highlighting a 2.4°C (8.9%) decrease. These results underscore the park’s role in mitigating urban heat, especially during the hotter parts of the day. Furthermore, the park environment exhibited lower average particulate matter (PM) levels than the built-up area. PM10 and PM1 levels decreased by 1 µg/m³ (8%) and 0.2 µg/m³ (9.7%) respectively during morning runs, while the afternoon runs showed a 0.6 µg/m³ (13.3%) reduction in average PM2.5 values within the park. Additionally, CO2 levels were reduced by 22 ppm (4.5%) during morning and afternoon runs in the park compared to the built-up area.These findings demonstrate the substantial reduction in air temperature and pollutants, such as CO2 and PM, with increasing distance from the built-up area towards the park. Understanding the interactions within and around urban parks regarding temperature, air pollution gradients, and thermal comfort compared to surrounding built environments is paramount. These insights can inform urban planning and design strategies to create healthier and more sustainable cities, thereby addressing contemporary urban challenges and fostering the well-being of urban populations. 
Introduction. This study investigated the ecology of Petalophyllum ralfsii in an oceanic dune system, including relationships with grazing livestock, hydrology and habitat restoration.Methods. The study site was two large slacks at Newborough Warren, NW Wales, UK. In areas of one slack, there are 6-yr-old ‘restoration scrapes’, where vegetation was stripped to restore early successional habitat. Since 2001, both slacks have had continuous conservation grazing, primarily by ponies. Locations of P. ralfsii were recorded using high-precision GPS. Vegetation was recorded by relevés and hydrology investigated from dipwell data.Results. Petalophyllum ralfsii was recorded at 1322 locations, mostly along pony trails, but also in sparsely vegetated depressions and restoration scrapes. The most frequent associates were Carex flacca, Didymodon tophaceus, Equisetum variegatum and Ptychostomum pseudotriquetrum. Wetter locations could be flooded for prolonged periods in some winters. Drier locations did not flood at all during the five winters of the study. Within occupied 5 × 5 m grid cells, vertical range of locations was no more than 16 cm. Locations in restoration scrapes are confined to areas where the water table is relatively high.Conclusions. Livestock grazing had a major positive impact on P. ralfsii. Trampling along pony trails provided competitive release and, due to greater soil bulk density, prolonged water availability at the surface. Ponies likely provided directed dispersal into suitable microhabitats via transport of diaspores on their hooves. Restoration scrapes have been colonised by P. ralfsii, but the population is small, likely related, at least in part, to water availability.
