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Home / Equine Research Bank / Animals (Basel) / Semi-Feral Horse Grazing Benefits the Grassland Diversity of...
Animals : an open access journal from MDPI2025; 15(6); 862; doi: 10.3390/ani15060862

Semi-Feral Horse Grazing Benefits the Grassland Diversity of Flowering Plants Including a Pollinator-Promoting Indicator Species.

Abstract: European grasslands and their biodiversity are declining rapidly due to land use changes, which highlight the need to develop effective restoration strategies. This study investigates the impact of reintroducing the Swedish national horse breed (the Gotland Russ) on grassland plant diversity and evenness in abandoned agricultural landscapes in Southeast Sweden. Twelve horses were introduced into three 10-13-hectare enclosure replicates (four horses per enclosure) in a three-year (2014-2016) rewilding experiment. Plant species richness, evenness, and diversity were investigated in both grazed and un-grazed conditions. The results indicate that horse grazing significantly increased grassland plant species diversity and richness, with higher Shannon and Simpson's diversity indices in grazed areas. In addition, the abundance of white clover (), a signal species beneficial to pollinators, increased significantly in grazed areas. These findings emphasize the need for integrating large herbivore grazing into ecological restoration practices. Considering the recently enacted EU Nature Restoration Law, which aims to restore 20% of Europe's degraded ecosystems by 2030, this research provides critical insights into scalable restoration methods. The implementation of restoration strategies that include large herbivores may enhance the resilience and biodiversity of European grasslands, thereby aligning with the EU's restoration goals.
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Publication Date: 2025-03-17 PubMed ID: 40150391PubMed Central: PMC11939236DOI: 10.3390/ani15060862Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This study explores the potential of using semi-feral horses, specifically the Gotland Russ breed, to restore plant diversity in declining European grasslands. The researchers found that horse grazing in abandoned agricultural landscapes significantly increased the diversity and richness of plant species, including a species favorable to pollinators.

Research Background

  • The research is set against the backdrop of rapidly declining biodiversity in European grasslands due to changes in land use. This situation creates an urgent need to develop practical and effective strategies to restore these ecosystems.
  • The focus of this study is in Southeast Sweden, where abandoned agricultural landscapes are used as experimental sites.

Research Methodology

  • Twelve Gotland Russ horses, a Swedish national breed, were introduced into three enclosures, each ranging from 10 to 13 hectares. Each enclosure was populated by four horses.
  • For three years (2014-2016), the researchers observed the impact of these horses on the diversity, richness, and evenness of plant species, comparing grazed areas with un-grazed ones.

Key Findings

  • The study found that horse grazing resulted in a significant increase in plant species diversity and richness in grazed areas. This outcome was consistent in the various measurements of the Shannon and Simpson’s diversity indices used by the researchers.
  • The researchers also noticed a substantial increase in the abundance of white clover, a species known to be beneficial to pollinators, in grazed areas.

Implications for Ecological Restoration

  • The results highlight the potential benefits of integrating large herbivore grazing into restoration practices. The reintroduction of horses, in this case, helped in enhancing plant biodiversity within the experimental sites.
  • These findings could provide important insights for implementing the recently enacted EU Nature Restoration Law. The law aims to restore 20% of Europe’s degraded ecosystems by 2030, and using large herbivores as part of restoration strategies aligns well with this goal.
  • This research presents a scalable solution that could potentially enhance the resilience and biodiversity of European grasslands, thus, playing an essential part in the fight against biodiversity decline on the continent.

Cite This Article

APA
Thulin CG, Chen Y, Garrido P. (2025). Semi-Feral Horse Grazing Benefits the Grassland Diversity of Flowering Plants Including a Pollinator-Promoting Indicator Species. Animals (Basel), 15(6), 862. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15060862

Publication

Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
ISSN: 2076-2615
NlmUniqueID: 101635614
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 15
Issue: 6
PII: 862

Researcher Affiliations

Thulin, Carl-Gustaf
  • Department of Animal Biosciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden.
Chen, Yufei
  • Department of Animal Biosciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden.
Garrido, Pablo
  • Department of Animal Biosciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden.
  • Natural Capital Foundation (Fundación Patrimonio Natural de Castilla y León), 470 08 Valladolid, Spain.

Grant Funding

  • SWE 0163 / Stiftelsen Vu00e4rldsnaturfonden WWF
  • 160201 / Helge Ax:son Johnsons Stiftelse

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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