Additional File 1 : Search String Development and Database Search Strategy

Additional file 1: Search String Development and Database Search Strategy

Record of systematic literature search

Initials of searcher, date and database/website searched are given below followed by search strings and number of returned results. Any comments by the searcher to explain changes to search strings or other activity are given in square brackets.

Table 1. Search string development using Web of Knowledge test searches.

Search string / Term changed / Hits WoK / Notes
"land abandonment" / 554
"land abandonment" OR (land AND abandonment) / 5263
(land AND abandon*) / 14003
(farm* OR land) AND abandon* / farm* added / 15873
(grassland OR farm* OR land) AND abandon* / grassland added / 17211
(grassland OR farm* OR cropland OR land) AND abandon* / cropland added / 17348
(grassland OR farm* OR cropland OR agricultur* OR land) AND abandon* / agricultur* added / 19517
(grassland OR farm* OR cropland OR agricultur* OR land OR *field) AND abandon* / 25668
(grassland OR farm* OR cropland OR agricultur* OR land OR *field OR pasture) AND abandon* / pasture added / 26211
(grassland OR farm* OR cropland OR agricultur* OR land OR *field OR pasture) AND (abandon* OR disuse*) / disuse* added / 27091 / Entirely irrelevant literature added
(grassland OR farm* OR cropland OR agricultur* OR land OR *field OR pasture) AND abandon* / 26211
((grassland OR farm* OR cropland OR agricultur* OR land OR *field OR pasture) AND abandon*) OR "marginal grass*" / "marginal grass*" added / 26286
((grassland OR farm* OR cropland OR agricultur* OR land OR *field OR pasture) AND abandon*) OR "marginal grass*" OR "marginal field" / "marginal field" added / 26392
((grassland OR farm* OR cropland OR agricultur* OR land OR *field OR pasture) AND abandon*) OR "marginal grass*" OR "marginal field" OR "marginal farm*" / "marginal farm*" added / 26815
((grassland OR farm* OR cropland OR agricultur* OR land OR *field OR pasture) AND abandon*) OR "marginal grass*" OR "marginal field" OR "marginal farm*" OR "marginal agricult*" / "marginal agricult*" added / 27197
((grassland OR farm* OR cropland OR agricultur* OR land OR *field OR pasture) AND abandon*) OR "marginal grass*" OR "marginal field" OR "marginal farm*" OR "marginal agricult*" OR "marginal crop*" / "marginal crop*" added / 27354
((grassland OR farm* OR cropland OR agricultur* OR land OR *field OR pasture) AND abandon*) OR "marginal grass*" OR "marginal field" OR "marginal farm*" OR "marginal agricult*" OR "marginal crop*" OR "marginal land" / "marginal land" added / 28001
((grassland OR farm* OR cropland OR agricultur* OR land OR *field OR pasture) AND abandon*) OR "marginal grass*" OR "marginal field" OR "marginal farm*" OR "marginal agricult*" OR "marginal crop*" OR "marginal land" OR "permanent grass*" / "permanent grass*" added / 29701
((grassland OR farm* OR cropland OR agricultur* OR land OR *field OR pasture) AND abandon*) OR "marginal grass*" OR "marginal field" OR "marginal farm*" OR "marginal agricult*" OR "marginal crop*" OR "marginal land" OR "permanent grass*" OR "old field" / "old field" added / 33913 / String v.1
(grassland OR farm* OR cropland OR agricultur* OR land OR *field OR pasture) AND abandon* / 26211
((grassland OR farm* OR cropland OR agricultur* OR land OR *field OR pasture) AND (destock* OR abandon*)) / destock* added / 26351
((grassland OR farm* OR cropland OR agricultur* OR land OR *field OR pasture) AND (destock* OR abandon*)) AND "high altitude" / "high altitude" added / 35
((grassland OR farm* OR cropland OR agricultur* OR land OR *field OR pasture) AND (destock* OR abandon*)) AND ("high altitude" OR "higher altitude") / "higher altitude" added / 39
((grassland OR farm* OR cropland OR agricultur* OR land OR *field OR pasture) AND (destock* OR abandon*)) AND ("high altitude" OR "higher altitude" OR "high ground") / "high ground" added / 41
((grassland OR farm* OR cropland OR agricultur* OR land OR *field OR pasture) AND (destock* OR abandon*)) AND ("high altitude" OR "higher altitude" OR "high ground" OR "higher ground") / "higher ground" added / 45
((grassland OR farm* OR cropland OR agricultur* OR land OR *field OR pasture) AND (destock* OR abandon*)) AND ("high altitude" OR "higher altitude" OR "high ground" OR "higher ground" OR *alpine) / *alpine added / 342
((grassland OR farm* OR cropland OR agricultur* OR land OR *field OR pasture) AND (destock* OR abandon*)) AND ("high altitude" OR "higher altitude" OR "high ground" OR "higher ground" OR *alpine OR montane) / montane added / 485
((grassland OR farm* OR cropland OR agricultur* OR land OR *field OR pasture) AND (destock* OR abandon*)) AND ("high altitude" OR "higher altitude" OR "high ground" OR "higher ground" OR *alpine OR montane OR mount*) / mount* added / 1479
((grassland OR farm* OR cropland OR agricultur* OR land OR *field OR pasture) AND (destock* OR abandon*)) AND ("high altitude" OR "higher altitude" OR "high ground" OR "higher ground" OR *alpine OR montane OR mount* OR elevat*) / elevat* added / 1875
((grassland OR farm* OR cropland OR agricultur* OR land OR *field OR pasture) AND (destock* OR abandon*)) AND ("high altitude" OR "higher altitude" OR "high ground" OR "higher ground" OR *alpine OR montane OR mount* OR elevat* OR highland) / highland added / 1964
((grassland OR farm* OR cropland OR agricultur* OR land OR *field OR pasture) AND (destock* OR abandon*)) AND ("high altitude" OR "higher altitude" OR "high ground" OR "higher ground" OR *alpine OR montane OR mount* OR elevat* OR highland OR hill*) / hill* added / 2398
((grassland OR farm* OR cropland OR agricultur* OR land OR *field OR pasture) AND (destock* OR abandon*)) AND ("high altitude" OR "higher altitude" OR "high ground" OR "higher ground" OR *alpine OR montane OR mount* OR elevat* OR highland OR hill* OR upland) / upland added / 2565
((grassland OR farm* OR cropland OR agricultur* OR land OR *field OR pasture) AND (destock* OR abandon*)) AND ("high altitude" OR "higher altitude" OR "high ground" OR "higher ground" OR *alpine OR montane OR mount* OR elevat* OR highland OR hill* OR upland OR plateau) / plateau added / 5002
((grassland OR farm* OR cropland OR agricultur* OR land OR *field OR pasture) AND (destock* OR abandon*)) AND ("high altitude" OR "higher altitude" OR "high ground" OR "higher ground" OR *alpine OR montane OR mount* OR elevat* OR highland OR hill* OR upland OR plateau OR mesa) / mesa added / 5018
((grassland OR farm* OR cropland OR agricultur* OR land OR *field OR pasture) AND (destock* OR abandon*)) AND ("high altitude" OR "higher altitude" OR "high ground" OR "higher ground" OR *alpine OR montane OR mount* OR elevat* OR highland OR hill* OR upland OR plateau OR mesa OR tableland) / tableland added / 5022
((grassland OR farm* OR cropland OR agricultur* OR land OR *field OR pasture) AND (destock* OR abandon*)) AND ("high altitude" OR "higher altitude" OR "high ground" OR "higher ground" OR *alpine OR montane OR mount* OR elevat* OR highland OR hill* OR upland OR plateau OR mesa OR tableland OR slope) / slope added / 5589
((grassland OR farm* OR cropland OR agricultur* OR land OR *field OR pasture) AND (destock* OR abandon*)) AND ("high altitude" OR "higher altitude" OR "high ground" OR "higher ground" OR *alpine OR montane OR mount* OR elevat* OR highland OR hill* OR upland OR plateau OR mesa OR tableland OR slope OR aspect) / aspect added / 6256
((grassland OR farm* OR cropland OR agricultur* OR land OR *field OR pasture) AND (destock* OR abandon*)) AND ("high altitude" OR "higher altitude" OR "high ground" OR "higher ground" OR *alpine OR montane OR mount* OR elevat* OR highland OR hill* OR upland OR plateau OR mesa OR tableland OR slope OR aspect OR remote*) / remote* added / 6713
((grassland OR farm* OR cropland OR agricultur* OR land OR *field OR pasture) AND (destock* OR abandon*)) AND ("high altitude" OR "higher altitude" OR "high ground" OR "higher ground" OR *alpine OR montane OR mount* OR elevat* OR highland OR hill* OR upland OR plateau OR mesa OR tableland OR slope OR aspect OR remote* OR mayen) / mayen added / 6713 / No additional hits, leave out
((grassland OR farm* OR cropland OR agricultur* OR land OR *field OR pasture) AND (destock* OR abandon*)) AND ("high altitude" OR "higher altitude" OR "high ground" OR "higher ground" OR *alpine OR montane OR mount* OR elevat* OR highland OR hill* OR upland OR plateau OR mesa OR tableland OR slope OR aspect OR remote* OR massif) / massif added / 6750
((grassland OR farm* OR cropland OR agricultur* OR land OR *field OR pasture) AND (destock* OR abandon*)) AND ("high altitude" OR "higher altitude" OR "high ground" OR "higher ground" OR *alpine OR montane OR mount* OR elevat* OR highland OR hill* OR upland OR plateau OR mesa OR tableland OR slope OR aspect OR remote* OR massif OR sierra) / sierra added / 6824 / String v.2
((grassland OR farm* OR cropland OR agricultur* OR land OR *field OR pasture) AND (destock* OR abandon*)) AND ("high altitude" OR "higher altitude" OR "high ground" OR "higher ground" OR *alpine OR montane OR mount* OR elevat* OR highland OR hill* OR upland OR plateau OR mesa OR tableland OR slope OR aspect OR remote* OR massif OR sierra OR steep) / steep* added / 6889
((grassland OR farm* OR cropland OR agricultur* OR land OR *field OR pasture) AND (destock* OR abandon*)) AND ("high altitude" OR "higher altitude" OR "high ground" OR "higher ground" OR *alpine OR montane OR mount* OR elevat* OR highland OR hill* OR upland OR plateau OR mesa OR tableland OR slope OR aspect OR remote* OR massif OR sierra OR steep OR rugged) / rugged* added / 6896
((grassland OR farm* OR cropland OR agricultur* OR land OR *field OR pasture) AND (destock* OR abandon*)) AND ("high altitude" OR "higher altitude" OR "high ground" OR "higher ground" OR *alpine OR montane OR mount* OR elevat* OR highland OR hill* OR upland OR plateau OR mesa OR tableland OR slope OR aspect OR remote* OR massif OR sierra OR steep OR rugged OR apennine) / apennine added / 6906
((grassland OR farm* OR cropland OR agricultur* OR land OR *field OR pasture) AND (destock* OR abandon*)) AND ("high altitude" OR "higher altitude" OR "high ground" OR "higher ground" OR *alpine OR montane OR mount* OR elevat* OR highland OR hill* OR upland OR plateau OR mesa OR tableland OR slope OR aspect OR remote* OR massif OR sierra OR steep OR rugged OR apennine OR tauern) / tauern added / 6906 / No additional hits, leave out
((grassland OR farm* OR cropland OR agricultur* OR land OR *field OR pasture) AND (destock* OR abandon*)) AND ("high altitude" OR "higher altitude" OR "high ground" OR "higher ground" OR *alpine OR montane OR mount* OR elevat* OR highland OR hill* OR upland OR plateau OR mesa OR tableland OR slope OR aspect OR remote* OR massif OR sierra OR steep OR rugged OR apennine OR range) / range added / 9356 / Large number of new hits, range covered by "mountain range", so leave out
((grassland OR farm* OR cropland OR agricultur* OR land OR *field OR pasture) AND (destock* OR abandon*)) AND ("high altitude" OR "higher altitude" OR "high ground" OR "higher ground" OR *alpine OR montane OR mount* OR elevat* OR highland OR hill* OR upland OR plateau OR mesa OR tableland OR slope OR aspect OR remote* OR massif OR sierra OR steep OR rugged OR apennine OR alps) / alps added / 6992
((grassland OR farm* OR cropland OR agricultur* OR land OR *field OR pasture) AND (destock* OR abandon*)) AND ("high altitude" OR "higher altitude" OR "high ground" OR "higher ground" OR *alpine OR montane OR mount* OR elevat* OR highland OR hill* OR upland OR plateau OR mesa OR tableland OR slope OR aspect OR remote* OR massif OR sierra OR steep OR rugged OR apennine OR alps OR alpen) / alpen added / 6992 / No additional hits, leave out
((grassland OR farm* OR cropland OR agricultur* OR land OR *field OR pasture) AND (destock* OR abandon*)) AND ("high altitude" OR "higher altitude" OR "high ground" OR "higher ground" OR *alpine OR montane OR mount* OR elevat* OR highland OR hill* OR upland OR plateau OR mesa OR tableland OR slope OR aspect OR remote* OR massif OR sierra OR steep OR rugged OR apennine OR alps OR prealp) / prealp added / 6992 / No additional hits, leave out
((grassland OR farm* OR cropland OR agricultur* OR land OR *field OR pasture) AND (destock* OR abandon*)) AND ("high altitude" OR "higher altitude" OR "high ground" OR "higher ground" OR *alpine OR montane OR mount* OR elevat* OR highland OR hill* OR upland OR plateau OR mesa OR tableland OR slope OR aspect OR remote* OR massif OR sierra OR steep OR rugged OR apennine OR alps OR volcano*) / volcano* added / 7024 / Possible abandonment due to volcanic erruption but not many additional hits to screen so leave in
((grassland OR farm* OR cropland OR agricultur* OR land OR *field OR pasture) AND (destock* OR abandon*)) AND ("high altitude" OR "higher altitude" OR "high ground" OR "higher ground" OR *alpine OR montane OR mount* OR elevat* OR highland OR hill* OR upland OR plateau OR mesa OR tableland OR slope OR aspect OR remote* OR massif OR sierra OR steep OR rugged OR apennine OR alps OR volcano* OR Carpathian*) / Carpathian* added / 7050
((grassland OR farm* OR cropland OR agricultur* OR land OR *field OR pasture) AND (destock* OR abandon*)) AND ("high altitude" OR "higher altitude" OR "high ground" OR "higher ground" OR *alpine OR montane OR mount* OR elevat* OR highland OR hill* OR upland OR plateau OR mesa OR tableland OR slope OR aspect OR remote* OR massif OR sierra OR steep OR rugged OR apennine OR alps OR volcano* OR Carpathian* OR Pyren*) / Pyren* added / 7119
((grassland OR farm* OR cropland OR agricultur* OR land OR *field OR pasture) AND (destock* OR abandon*)) AND ("high altitude" OR "higher altitude" OR "high ground" OR "higher ground" OR *alpine OR montane OR mount* OR elevat* OR highland OR hill* OR upland OR plateau OR mesa OR tableland OR slope OR aspect OR remote* OR massif OR sierra OR steep OR rugged OR apennine OR alps OR volcano* OR Carpathian* OR Pyren* OR Caucasus) / Caucasus added / 7123 / String v.3
((grassland OR farm* OR cropland OR agricultur* OR land OR *field OR pasture) AND (destock* OR abandon*)) AND ("high altitude" OR "higher altitude" OR "high ground" OR "higher ground" OR *alpine OR montane OR mount* OR elevat* OR highland OR hill* OR upland OR plateau OR mesa OR tableland OR slope OR aspect OR remote* OR massif OR sierra OR steep OR rugged OR apennine OR alps OR volcano* OR Carpathian* OR Pyren* OR Caucasus OR Andes) / Andes added / 7162
((grassland OR farm* OR cropland OR agricultur* OR land OR *field OR pasture) AND (destock* OR abandon*)) AND ("high altitude" OR "higher altitude" OR "high ground" OR "higher ground" OR *alpine OR montane OR mount* OR elevat* OR highland OR hill* OR upland OR plateau OR mesa OR tableland OR slope OR aspect OR remote* OR massif OR sierra OR steep OR rugged OR apennine OR alps OR volcano* OR Carpathian* OR Pyren* OR Caucasus OR Andes OR Rockies) / Rockies added / 7213 / String v.4

Search string v.4

1. WoKNRH07.05.13

((grassland OR farm* OR cropland OR agricultur* OR land OR *field OR pasture) AND (destock* OR abandon*)) AND ("high altitude" OR "higher altitude" OR "high ground" OR "higher ground" OR *alpine OR montane OR mount* OR elevat* OR highland OR hill* OR upland OR plateau OR mesa OR tableland OR slope OR aspect OR remote* OR massif OR sierra OR steep OR rugged OR apennine OR alps OR volcano* OR Carpathian* OR Pyren* OR Caucasus OR Andes OR Rockies)

Timespan=All Years

Search language=Auto

Approximately 7,213 returns; after duplicates removed and accurate record number calculated by WoK - 3,947returns exported to EndNote.

[Search returns exported to End Note library (WoK Library.enl). 3,947 hits were exported.3,973 remain after removal of duplicates.]

Table 2.Test library matches using search String v.4.

Study / WoK returned
Cammeraat, E.L.H., A. Cerda, and A.C.Imeson, Ecohydrological adaptation of soils following land abandonment in a semi-arid environment. Ecohydrology, 2010. 3(4): p. 421-430. / Yes
Catorci, A., G. Ottaviani, and S. Cesaretti, Functional and coenological changes under different long-term management conditions in Apennine meadows (central Italy). Phytocoenologia, 2011. 41(1): p. 45-58. / Yes
Cocca, G., et al., Is the abandonment of traditional livestock farming systems the main driver of mountain landscape change in Alpine areas? Land Use Policy, 2012. 29(4): p. 878-886. / Yes
Deleglise, C., G. Loucougaray, and D. Alard, Effects of grazing exclusion on the spatial variability of subalpine plant communities: A multiscale approach. Basic and Applied Ecology, 2011. 12(7): p. 609-619. / Yes
Durak, T., Long-term trends in vegetation changes of managed versus unmanaged Eastern Carpathian beech forests. Forest Ecology and Management, 2010. 260(8): p. 1333-1344. / Yes
Ferlan, M., et al., Comparing carbon fluxes between different stages of secondary succession of a karst grassland. Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment, 2011. 140(1-2): p. 199-207. / Yes
Fonderflick, J., et al., Avifauna trends following changes in a Mediterranean upland pastoral system. Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment, 2010. 137(3-4): p. 337-347. / Yes
Garcia-Ruiz, J.M. and N. Lana-Renault, Hydrological and erosive consequences of farmland abandonment in Europe, with special reference to the Mediterranean region - A review. Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment, 2011. 140(3-4): p. 317-338. / Yes
Gellrich, M., et al., Agricultural land abandonment and natural forest re-growth in the Swiss mountains: a spatially explicit economic analysis. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 200118(1): p. 93-108. / Yes
Kampmann, D., et al., Agri-environment scheme protects diversity of mountain grassland species. Land Use Policy, 2012. 29(3): p. 569-576. / Yes
Knapp, B.A., A. Rief, and J. Seeber, Microbial communities on litter of managed and abandoned alpine pastureland. Biology and Fertility of Soils, 2011. 47(7): p. 845-851. / Yes
Lesschen, J.P., L.H.Cammeraat, and T. Nieman, Erosion and terrace failure due to agricultural land abandonment in a semi-arid environment. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 2008. 33(10): p. 1574-1584. / Yes
Marriott, C.A., et al., Impacts of extensive grazing and abandonment on grassland soils and productivity. Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment, 2010. 139(4): p. 476-482. / Yes
Nikolov, S.C., Effects of land abandonment and changing habitat structure on avian assemblages in upland pastures of Bulgaria. Bird Conservation International, 2010. 20(2): p. 200-213. / Yes
Nunes, A.N., et al., SOIL EROSION AND HYDROLOGICAL RESPONSE TO LAND ABANDONMENT IN A CENTRAL INLAND AREA OF PORTUGAL. Land Degradation & Development, 2010. 21(3): p. 260-273. / No (no description of altitude except in full text)
Obrist, M.K., et al., Response of bat species to sylvo-pastoral abandonment. Forest Ecology and Management, 2011. 261(3): p. 789-798. / No (no description of altitude except in full text)
Peco, B., et al., Effects of grazing abandonment on functional and taxonomic diversity of Mediterranean grasslands. Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment, 2012. 152: p. 27-32. / No (no description of altitude except in full text)
Tocco, C., et al., Does natural reforestation represent a potential threat to dung beetle diversity in the Alps? Journal of Insect Conservation, 2013. 17(1): p. 207-217. / Yes
Uematsu, Y., et al., Abandonment and intensified use of agricultural land decrease habitats of rare herbs in semi-natural grasslands. Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment, 2010. 135(4): p. 304-309. / Yes
Waesch, G. and T. Becker, Plant diversity differs between young and old mesic meadows in a central European low mountain region. Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment, 2009. 129(4): p. 457-464. / Yes
Zimmermann, P., et al., Effects of land-use and land-cover pattern on landscape-scale biodiversity in the European Alps. Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment, 2010. 139(1-2): p. 13-22. / Yes

1. Science DirectNRH07.05.13

((grassland OR farm* OR cropland OR agricultur* OR land OR *field OR pasture) AND (destock* OR abandon*)) AND ("high altitude" OR "higher altitude" OR "high ground" OR "higher ground" OR *alpine OR montane OR mount* OR elevat* OR highland OR hill* OR upland OR plateau OR mesa OR tableland OR slope OR aspect OR remote* OR massif OR sierra OR steep OR rugged) - 646 results

((grassland OR farm* OR cropland OR agricultur* OR land OR *field OR pasture) AND (destock* OR abandon*))) AND (apennine OR alps OR volcano* OR Carpathian* OR Pyren* OR Caucasus OR Andes OR Rockies) - 110 results

[Search in Abstract, Title and Keywords. Could only fit 21 population keywords into search box, so ran as two searches.Search returns exported to End Note library (Science Direct Library.enl). 756 hits were exported. 669 remain after removal of 87 duplicates.]

1. Directory of Open Access JournalsNRH 07.05.13

((((((((all:grassland)) OR (all:farm*)) OR (all:cropland)) OR (all:agricultur*)) OR (all:land)) OR (all:field)) OR (all:pasture)) AND (all:abandon*) - 450 results, 30 relevant titles exported as full texts

[Only one word can be added at a time. Intervention/exposure terms only used. DOAJ searches full text and wildcards seem to be unnecessary although there is very little guidance on the website to confirm this.Returns searched by title for relevance due to absence of export function to bibliographic software. Relevant articles (n = 29) downloaded as full texts.]

1. AgricolaNRH09.05.13

grassland AND destock? [0]

farm? AND destock? [3]

cropland AND destock? [0]

agricultur? AND destock? [4, 4th could not be exported]

land AND destock? [1]

?field AND destock? [0]

pasture AND destock? [3]

grassland AND abandon? [133]

farm? AND abandon? [286]

cropland AND abandon? [37]

agricultur? AND abandon? [670]

land AND abandon? [958]

?field AND abandon? [322]

pasture AND abandon? [97]

[Will not recognize Boolean string, so individual intervention terms entered in pairs using two seach boxes. Small numbers of returns (<5) exported by directly finding them in Google Scholar and importing to End Note.Cannot export returns directly into End Note for some reason. Tried using new filter and saving as various different file types. Exported instead to End Note Web then to End Note.Total number of articles returned = 2,518. After duplicates deleted in EndNote library contains 1,374 references(1,144 dupicates).