The effects of droughts on mountain pastures

Researchers simulate an arid climate using greenhouse tunnels to study the effects of increased dryness on forage grown on mountain pastures. What will a warmer, drier climate do to the legendary quality of Swiss cheese? To address this and other questions, researchers from EPFL and Agroscope Changins-Wädenswil had small flocks of sheep graze below plastic greenhouse tunnels in western Switzerland, near Yverdon. The main focus of the experiment was to study the effects of droughts on mountain pastures and their forage production. On Wednesday, September 12th, the organizers are holding an open day to present the campaign to members of agricultural institutions, researchers and the public. Mountain pastures are an important, yet often underestimated ecosystem. They have been identified as havens for a diverse population of plants and microorganisms, which, through their activity, are an important driver of the carbon chain. And pastures play a central role in Swiss agricultural policy, which stipulates forage autonomy as one of its tenets: farmers should be able to feed their livestock without having to rely on foreign forage.