Species-rich grasslands, most often the result of traditional agricultural practices, are important habitats within the cultural landscapes of central and western Europe. Despite conservation efforts at a national and international scale, many types of these grasslands are severely threatened of disappearing. Contractual nature conservation schemes with financial rewards for low-intensity management are deemed an important instrument for maintaining characteristic plant communities. However, long-term data sets that examine the efficiency of these schemes are rare. The present study compares plant species abundance lists gathered in various surveys undertaken in low-intensity grasslands in central and southwestern Luxembourg over the course of several decades. These vegetation lists, of which one pair is available for every site included in the analysis, and which have been recorded in intervals of up to 16 years, should provide an indication as to the effects of extensive management on vegetation ...