Reply to: “Results from a biodiversity experiment fail to represent economic performance of semi-natural grasslands”

I n Schaub et al. 1 , we analyzed plant diversity effects on biomass yield, forage quality, quality-adjusted yield (biomass yield × forage quality) and revenues across different management intensities (extensive to very intensive) within the Jena Experiment (a large-scale grassland biodiversity experiment). For forage quality, we focused especially on metabolizable energy content and milk-production potential, variables rarely assessed eco-nomically in a biodiversity context. Our analysis suggested that plant diversity can substantially add to the milk-production potential yield (per unit of area) in semi-natural grasslands. This creates additional revenues from milk production. Our results showed that these plant diversity bene ﬁ ts can be as high as those from increasing management intensities within semi-natural grassland settings. In a recent comment, Tonn et al. 2 challenged our ﬁ ndings, questioned their applicability for real-life systems and our calculation of the milk-production potential. We argue that their calculation offers a perspective on livestock performance, complementing our perspective of marginal bene ﬁ ts of plant diversity


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Commonly misidentified lines (See ICLAC register) No new analysis is conducted in this reply to Tonn et al. For the study description and other details see Schaub, S., Finger, R., Leiber, F. et al. Plant diversity effects on forage quality, yield and revenues of semi-natural grasslands. Nat Commun 11, 768 (2020). https:// doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-14541-4 see above see above see above see above see above see above see above see above Describe all antibodies used in the study; as applicable, provide supplier name, catalog number, clone name, and lot number.
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