Aim of the study:
The study aimed to assess the impact of various grassland management practices, such as mowing with biomass removal, mulching, and compost application, on the seasonal dynamics of surface soil temperature and soil profile moisture in semi-natural mountain meadows. Understanding these effects is essential for evaluating alternative management strategies that could help maintain biodiversity and ecosystem services, while reducing maintenance costs in low-productivity grasslands.

Material and methods:
The experiment was conducted in 2021 on a semi-natural grassland in the Pieniny Mountains. Treatments involved mowing, mulching, compost application. Soil moisture was measured bi-weekly at the depth of 10, 20, 30, and 40 cm using a soil-profile probe. Soil temperature at 5 cm depth was recorded automatically.

Results and conclusions:
Soil moisture increased with depth, reaching its lowest and most variable values in the 10-cm layer. The greatest differences in moisture levels across the treatments occurred between May and July: the compost treatment showed the highest levels of moisture in the upper soil layers. In deeper layers, however, management effects were negligible. From late summer onwards, moisture content became similar across all treatments. Soil temperature was highest in the mown plots and lowest in the compost treatment, particularly from May to mid-August. Mulching produced only minor effects on both soil temperature and moisture, likely due to the small amount of mulch used. Compost had the strongest influence through increased biomass accumulation. Mulching had a limited impact and could be used for conserving low-productivity grasslands, but it could also have adverse effects under high-biomass conditions. Biomass quantity is a key driver in shaping soil thermal and moisture regimes, which in turn may influence species composition in the long term.