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The influence of livestock management varies widely between the different alpine
regions of the world.
In the Alps, the environment has been greatly altered by humans. Alpine meadows and
pastures are man-made environments, though some of them support an exceptionally high biodiversity.
Management is a very important factor determining the impact of livestock.
Intensification as well as abandonment will lead to large changes in plant communities and in
ecosystem processes.
Due to economic pressure, many former pasture areas are today managed very
extensively or have been completely abandoned; in contrast, more productive areas experience
intensification.
Intensification as well as extensivation result in a reduction of species richness and reduced
ecological stability, at least in the short term.
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