A comparison of the vegetation in semi-natural grasslands under different agricultural practices in Finnish and Russian Karelia

The vegetation of semi-natural grasslands under modem, cereal/forage cropping in Finnish Karelia (n = 11) and old fashioned animal husbandry in adjacent Russian Karelia (n = 11) was compared in terms of their species composition. Each grassland site was paired with one in the other country which was as similar as possible in respect to its natural conditions. The species composition indicated differences in management between the two countries. The mean number of species was 45.5 in the Finnish sites and 52.6 in the Russian sites. A total of 12 species exhibited a statistical difference in their indicator values between the two countries. Traditional grassland species (e.g. Leontodon hispidus, Dianthus deltoides), indicating grazing, hay making and old settlement, occurred more often in Russian sites, while species related to nutrient enrichment and cultivation (e.g. Urtica dioica, Elymus repens) were more characteristic of Finnish sites.