---
OA_place: publisher
OA_type: free access
_id: '22560'
abstract:
- lang: eng
  text: Grassland and pastures are important land uses in subalpine and alpine environments.
    They are typically subjected to management practices that can change the biophysical
    structure of the canopy through defoliation and can alter soil hydraulic properties.
    These modifications have the potential to impact hydrological and energy fluxes
    as well as the primary productivity of grasslands. We investigate how a series
    of management practices, such as grass cut, grazing, and the consequent soil compaction
    due to treading by animals are affecting water resources, flood generation, and
    grassland productivity in a subalpine region. Results are obtained using a mechanistic
    ecohydrological model, Tethys-Chloris. The model is first confirmed using energy,
    water, and carbon fluxes measured at three eddy covariance stations over grasslands
    in Switzerland and discharge measured in a small experimental catchment. A series
    of virtual experiments are then designed to elucidate the importance of various
    management scenarios at the plot and catchment scales. Results show that only
    severe management actions such as low grass cuts or heavy grazing are able to
    influence considerably the long-term hydrological behavior. Moderate management
    practices are typically unable to modify the system response in terms of energy
    and water fluxes. An important short-term effect is represented by animal-induced
    soil compaction that can reduce infiltration capacity leading to peak flow considerably
    higher than in undisturbed conditions. The productivity of vegetation in absence
    of nutrient limitation is considerably affected by the different management scenarios
    with tolerable disturbances that lead to higher aboveground net primary production.
article_processing_charge: No
article_type: original
author:
- first_name: Simone
  full_name: Fatichi, Simone
  id: cf8e546b-a9b0-11f0-a43b-aa89ed1b56d6
  last_name: Fatichi
- first_name: Matthias J.
  full_name: Zeeman, Matthias J.
  last_name: Zeeman
- first_name: Jürg
  full_name: Fuhrer, Jürg
  last_name: Fuhrer
- first_name: Paolo
  full_name: Burlando, Paolo
  last_name: Burlando
citation:
  ama: 'Fatichi S, Zeeman MJ, Fuhrer J, Burlando P. Ecohydrological effects of management
    on subalpine grasslands: From local to catchment scale. <i>Water Resources Research</i>.
    2014;50(1):148-164. doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/2013wr014535">10.1002/2013wr014535</a>'
  apa: 'Fatichi, S., Zeeman, M. J., Fuhrer, J., &#38; Burlando, P. (2014). Ecohydrological
    effects of management on subalpine grasslands: From local to catchment scale.
    <i>Water Resources Research</i>. American Geophysical Union. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/2013wr014535">https://doi.org/10.1002/2013wr014535</a>'
  chicago: 'Fatichi, Simone, Matthias J. Zeeman, Jürg Fuhrer, and Paolo Burlando.
    “Ecohydrological Effects of Management on Subalpine Grasslands: From Local to
    Catchment Scale.” <i>Water Resources Research</i>. American Geophysical Union,
    2014. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/2013wr014535">https://doi.org/10.1002/2013wr014535</a>.'
  ieee: 'S. Fatichi, M. J. Zeeman, J. Fuhrer, and P. Burlando, “Ecohydrological effects
    of management on subalpine grasslands: From local to catchment scale,” <i>Water
    Resources Research</i>, vol. 50, no. 1. American Geophysical Union, pp. 148–164,
    2014.'
  ista: 'Fatichi S, Zeeman MJ, Fuhrer J, Burlando P. 2014. Ecohydrological effects
    of management on subalpine grasslands: From local to catchment scale. Water Resources
    Research. 50(1), 148–164.'
  mla: 'Fatichi, Simone, et al. “Ecohydrological Effects of Management on Subalpine
    Grasslands: From Local to Catchment Scale.” <i>Water Resources Research</i>, vol.
    50, no. 1, American Geophysical Union, 2014, pp. 148–64, doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/2013wr014535">10.1002/2013wr014535</a>.'
  short: S. Fatichi, M.J. Zeeman, J. Fuhrer, P. Burlando, Water Resources Research
    50 (2014) 148–164.
das_tickbox: '1'
date_created: 2026-07-27T12:30:24Z
date_published: 2014-01-01T00:00:00Z
date_updated: 2026-08-06T09:48:24Z
day: '01'
doi: 10.1002/2013wr014535
extern: '1'
fulldoi: https://doi.org/10.1002/2013wr014535
intvolume: '        50'
issue: '1'
language:
- iso: eng
main_file_link:
- open_access: '1'
  url: https://doi.org/10.1002/2013WR014535
month: '01'
oa: 1
oa_version: Published Version
page: 148-164
publication: Water Resources Research
publication_identifier:
  eissn:
  - 1944-7973
  issn:
  - 0043-1397
publication_status: published
publisher: American Geophysical Union
quality_controlled: '1'
scopus_import: '1'
status: public
title: 'Ecohydrological effects of management on subalpine grasslands: From local
  to catchment scale'
type: journal_article
user_id: ba8df636-2132-11f1-aed0-ed93e2281fdd
volume: 50
year: '2014'
...