3. Agroecology of managed grasslands
This interdisciplinary project stems from the collaboration between the members of the Agroecology cluster: C. Gratton, R. Jackson, and M. Bell. Working at the UW Franbrook farm and in collaboration with individual growers in southern WI, we have been studying how different forms of grassland management (in particular Management Intensive Rotational Grazing) influence grassland ecosystem processes (greenhouse gas fluxes, productivity, decomposition) and grassland biodiversity (arthropod and plant assemblages). We are currently tackling the issue of how to scale the findings from on particular location to others areas in the region. As we describe the principal species within these grasslands, we are beginning experiments with stable isotope tracers to understand the feeding interactions within the soil food web.
“On-farm” research site central Wisconsin where we are examining the effect of rotational grazing on ecosystem variables (Photo Claudio Gratton)