Important plant communities and plant species of alpine pastures

The changing natural conditions such as water and nutrient supply, temperature and the various intensities of grazing enable many plant species to grow and numerous plant communities to establish. The following types of pastures were distinguished: High yielding, carefully utilized fertile pastures of the vegetation types Cynosurion, Poion alpinae. Low yielding, poor pastures on acid and calcareous soils of the vegetation types Nardion, Seslerion, which are worthy to preserve. Plant communities which may successfully be improved by adjusting fertilization, utilization and by careful management, e.g. over-or under utilized pastures. Areas with constraints for improvement such as pure Nardetum, Caricetum curvulae, and Seslerietum on stony soils.