Insights on global rangeland ecosystem services shaped by grazing and fertilization

Authors

• Laura Yahdjian, Instituto de Investigaciones Fisiologicas y Ecologicas
• Sofía Campana, Instituto de Investigaciones Fisiologicas y Ecologicas
• Pedro M. Tognetti, Instituto de Investigaciones Fisiologicas y Ecologicas
• Juan Alberti, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata
• Pamela Graff, Instituto de Investigaciones Fisiologicas y Ecologicas
• Cecilia Molina, Instituto de Investigaciones Fisiologicas y Ecologicas
• Elizabeth T. Borer, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
• Eric W. Seabloom, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
• Suzanne M. Prober, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
• Andrew S. MacDougall, University of Guelph
• Anita C. Risch, Eidgenössische Forschungsanstalt für Wald, Schnee und Landschaft WSL
• Jodi N. Price, Charles Sturt University
• Sally A. Power, Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment
• Isabel C. Barrio, Landbúnaðarháskóli Íslands
• Erika Hersch-Green, Michigan Technological UniversityFollow
• Philip A. Fay, USDA Agricultural Research Service
• Sumanta Bagchi, Indian Institute of Science
• Jonathan D. Bakker, College of the Environment
• Dana Blumenthal, United States Department of Agriculture
• Elizabeth H. Boughton, Archbold Biological Station
• Cynthia S. Brown, Colorado State University
• Miguel N. Bugalho, Centro de Ecologia Aplicada "Prof. Baeta Neves
• Marc Cadotte, University of Toronto
• Maria C. Caldeira, Centro de Estudos Florestais
• Jane A. Catford, King's College London
• Clinton Carbutt, University of KwaZulu-Natal
• Qingqing Chen, Senckenberg Museum for Natural Sciences Görlitz
• Scott L. Collins, The University of New Mexico
• Thomas W. Crowther, ETH Zürich
• Carla D’Antonio, University of California, Santa Barbara
• Christopher R. Dickman, The University of Sydney

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-13-2026

Department

Department of Biological Sciences

Abstract

Rangelands are crucial to human well-being, but their ability to provide ecosystem services is threatened. We (1) quantified key ecosystem services provided by rangelands, (2) assessed short- and long-term impacts of fertilization (nutrient addition) and the exclusion of large grazing herbivores with fences (herbivore exclusion) on services, and (3) identified synergies and trade-offs among services. We measured indicators of ecosystem services and plant diversity at 79 sites across six continents in the global Nutrient Network. Short-term herbivore exclusion increased forage quantity and soil fertility, but longer-term herbivore exclusion decreased both along with plant richness and pollination. Nutrient addition improved forage provisioning, soil stability, climate regulation, and control of soil erosion but lowered plant diversity and impeded delivery of related services, especially after prolonged application. We found synergies between plant diversity and pollination, as well as between soil fertility, soil stability, and climate regulation. Trade-offs between forage stability and quality persisted after nutrient addition but disappeared with herbivore exclusion. Our results suggest that alternative management actions may sustain livestock production while maintaining rangeland ecosystem services.

Publisher's Statement

© 2026 The Ecological Society of America. This article has been contributed to by U.S. Government employees and their work is in the public domain in the USA. Publisher’s version of record: https://doi.org/10.1002/fee.70022

Publication Title

Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment

Recommended Citation

Yahdjian, L., Campana, S., Tognetti, P., Alberti, J., Graff, P., Molina, C., Borer, E., Seabloom, E., Prober, S., MacDougall, A., Risch, A., Price, J., Power, S., Barrio, I., Hersch-Green, E., Fay, P., Bagchi, S., Bakker, J., Blumenthal, D., Boughton, E., Brown, C., Bugalho, M., Cadotte, M., Caldeira, M., Catford, J., Carbutt, C., Chen, Q., Collins, S., Crowther, T., D’Antonio, C., & Dickman, C. (2026). Insights on global rangeland ecosystem services shaped by grazing and fertilization. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment. http://doi.org/10.1002/fee.70022
Retrieved from: https://digitalcommons.mtu.edu/michigantech-p2/2350

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication 1.0 License.

Version

Publisher's PDF