ABSTRACT
Loss of biodiversity is a pressing problem for the biosphere. Current estimations for one of the attributes of biodiversity - species richness - indicate that extinction rates are higher than in the recent past and are still increasing. The environmental drivers of species extinction rates are also changing other structural and functional attributes of biodiversity. The main causes of biodiversity loss are global; land use and land cover change has been proposed as having the biggest impact. The grassland biome, which includes a wide range of ecosystem types, from humid prairies to arid shrub-grass steppes, has been subjected to particularly intense pressure for the production of food and fibres, so current extinction rates of grassland species are expected to remain high or even increase. The main aim of this chapter is to consider current processes and future scenarios for grassland biodiversity. As one considers the future, it is useful to address three questions regarding biodiversity loss. First, what are the effects of the main drivers of biodiversity loss, and what are the main trends in the biodiversity of grasslands? Second, how will biodiversity continue to change after extinctions take place? Third, how can we manage grassland biodiversity in the transition to the new scenario? Currently, there is a lot more information available to answer the first question than there is information to address the other two. Nevertheless, it is necessary to address the second and third questions in order to develop proactive strategies for managing the transition to new scenarios.
