Priorities for modelling European grasslands under climate change

摘要

Climate change presents a series of interacting challenges for grassland-based livestock systems in Europe. Modelling is an invaluable tool for understanding how complex systems such as grasslands may respond to future change, and how these responsesmight be mediated by adaptation and mitigation straregies. In order to understand the challenges to, and research priorities for, European grassland modelling under climare change, a 'horizon scanning' approach was used to gain the views of grassland modellers and researchers from across Europe. Participants assessed the current state of grassland modelling, identifying the challenges faced by modellers, and the steps needed to overcome them. Qualitative analysis revealed a common structure underlying the research priorities, which could porentially supporr the focussing and structuring of future funding frameworks and projects. For five challenges, rhc importance of new experimental research was identified as a priority for developing modelling capacity.