In the eastern regions of Luxembourg, there are vast areas of these grasslands, where Upper Triassic and Middle Triassic strata predominate. As this land is relatively unproductive for agricultural purposes, many of these semi-arid, nutrient-poor grasslands are no longer in use and are undergoing scrub invasion, which in turn is leading to a decline in their biodiversity.
The ecological importance of semi-arid, nutrient-poor grasslands is due to the particular flora and fauna found there. Only a few plant species can survive in extreme conditions on land that offers little in the way of nutrients or water. Examples of such survivors include several of our diverse orchid types, as well as some extremely rare insect and bird species, such as the red-backed shrike (Lanius collurio) or the great grey shrike (Lanius excubitor excubitor).