Swiss Meadows Losing Biodiversity at Alarming Rate
A new long-term study reveals: over the past 100 years, plant diversity in Swiss meadows has declined dramatically. The main drivers are intensive agriculture. Over-fertilisation, overuse and pesticides have pushed Europe's most species-rich habitats to the brink.
Researchers made use of a unique dataset: vegetation surveys conducted between 1884 and 1931.
These historical data were systematically resurveyed in 2021/22 — enabling, for the first time, a direct comparison spanning more than 90 years.
The causes are clearly identified:
- Over-fertilisation: Nitrogen and phosphorus inputs, both from fertilisers and air pollution, displace low-nutrient specialists.
- Overuse: More frequent mowing, heavier grazing and mechanised agriculture cause sensitive species to disappear.
- Pesticides: Chemical interventions reduce not only pests but also many non-target species — from herbs to insects.
The impact is felt most severely in the species-rich lowland meadows. Here, up to 38% of species have been lost. In alpine regions the decline amounts to “only” around 11%, yet even there climate change and the upward shift ofagriculture are bringing new pressure, including on wildlife.
From Colourful Diversity to Grass Steppe
The study clearly shows how meadows have changed:
- Colourful wildflower meadows with orchids, bellflowers and ox-eye daisies are giving way to species-poor grasslands.
- Sweet grasses (Poaceae) benefit from fertilisation and frequent cutting and now dominate in many areas.
- Specialised herbs and rare species are disappearing.
- Life strategies are shifting towards competition- and disturbance-tolerant plants.
The result: landscapes are becoming ecologically more homogeneous and impoverished.
Consequences for Nature and Society
Species-rich meadows are not only aesthetically valuable, but fulfil central functions:
- Habitat for insects, birds andwildlife
- Foundation for pollination and food security
- Carbon storage and soil protection
With the loss of this diversity, we lose not only flowers, but also ecological stability – and ultimately our own basis for survival.
The study makes it unmistakably clear: the primary cause of the massive decline in biodiversity is intensive agriculture. Without a rethinking of agricultural policy – less fertiliser, fewer pesticides, less pressure from land use – biodiversity will continue to disappear.
Extensive land management, targeted promotion of species-rich meadows, and a consistent reduction of nitrogen inputs are key steps in preserving the last remnants of the traditional cultural landscape.
Natural disaster: hobby hunters
No country in the world has a higher proportion of endangered species than Switzerland. More than a third of plant, wildlife and fungal species are considered endangered. Within Europe, Switzerland also ranks last in the designation of protected areas for biodiversity. It is always these same circles of hobby hunters and hobby animal keepers, with their lobbying efforts through politics, media and legislation, who have been responsible for this for decades. They are the ones who notoriously block contemporary, ethical improvements in animal welfare and sabotage serious animal and species protection. Hobby hunters regularly oppose the expansion of national parks in Switzerland, because their concern is not nature, biodiversity, species conservation or animal welfare – but rather the pursuit of their perverse, bloody hobby.
