Insights on global rangeland ecosystem services shaped by grazing and fertilization

Laura Yahdjian; Sofía Campana; Pedro M. Tognetti; Juan Alberti; Pamela Graff; Cecilia Molina; Elizabeth T. Borer; Eric W. Seabloom; Suzanne M. Prober; Andrew S. MacDougall; Anita C. Risch; Jodi N. Price; Sally A. Power; Isabel C. Barrio; Erika Hersch-Green; Philip A. Fay; Sumanta Bagchi; Jonathan D. Bakker; Dana Blumenthal; Elizabeth H. Boughton; Cynthia S. Brown; Miguel N. Bugalho; Marc Cadotte; Maria C. Caldeira; Jane A. Catford; Clinton Carbutt; Qingqing Chen; Scott L. Collins; Thomas W. Crowther; Carla D’Antonio; Christopher R. Dickman; Mary E. DuPre; Kenneth J. Elgersma; Anu Eskelinen; Nicole Hagenah; Yann Hautier; Anke Jentsch; Johannes M.H. Knops; Jason P. Martina; Rebecca L. McCulley; Carly J. Stevens; Lauri Laanisto; Lydia R. O’Halloran; Pablo L. Peri; Petr Macek; Nicholas G. Smith; Grégory Sonnier; Ciska G.F. Veen; Risto Virtanen

doi:10.1002/fee.70022

Insights on global rangeland ecosystem services shaped by grazing and fertilization

Laura Yahdjian^*, Sofía Campana, Pedro M. Tognetti, Juan Alberti, Pamela Graff, Cecilia Molina, Elizabeth T. Borer, Eric W. Seabloom, Suzanne M. Prober, Andrew S. MacDougall, Anita C. Risch, Jodi N. Price, Sally A. Power, Isabel C. Barrio, Erika Hersch-Green, Philip A. Fay, Sumanta Bagchi, Jonathan D. Bakker, Dana Blumenthal, Elizabeth H. BoughtonCynthia S. Brown, Miguel N. Bugalho, Marc Cadotte, Maria C. Caldeira, Jane A. Catford, Clinton Carbutt, Qingqing Chen, Scott L. Collins, Thomas W. Crowther, Carla D’Antonio, Christopher R. Dickman, Mary E. DuPre, Kenneth J. Elgersma, Anu Eskelinen, Nicole Hagenah, Yann Hautier, Anke Jentsch, Johannes M.H. Knops, Jason P. Martina, Rebecca L. McCulley, Carly J. Stevens, Lauri Laanisto, Lydia R. O’Halloran, Pablo L. Peri, Petr Macek, Nicholas G. Smith, Grégory Sonnier, Ciska G.F. Veen, Risto Virtanen

^*Corresponding author for this work

Fenner School of Environment & Society

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

1 Citation (Scopus)

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.

Original language	English
Number of pages	12
Journal	Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/fee.70022
Publication status	Accepted/In press - 2026

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Yahdjian, L., Campana, S., Tognetti, P. M., Alberti, J., Graff, P., Molina, C., Borer, E. T., Seabloom, E. W., Prober, S. M., MacDougall, A. S., Risch, A. C., Price, J. N., Power, S. A., Barrio, I. C., Hersch-Green, E., Fay, P. A., Bagchi, S., Bakker, J. D., Blumenthal, D., ... Virtanen, R. (Accepted/In press). Insights on global rangeland ecosystem services shaped by grazing and fertilization. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment. https://doi.org/10.1002/fee.70022

@article{18ec524e98334e7b90d0fd93a3d302c2,

title = "Insights on global rangeland ecosystem services shaped by grazing and fertilization",

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.",

author = "Laura Yahdjian and Sof{\'i}a Campana and Tognetti, \{Pedro M.\} and Juan Alberti and Pamela Graff and Cecilia Molina and Borer, \{Elizabeth T.\} and Seabloom, \{Eric W.\} and Prober, \{Suzanne M.\} and MacDougall, \{Andrew S.\} and Risch, \{Anita C.\} and Price, \{Jodi N.\} and Power, \{Sally A.\} and Barrio, \{Isabel C.\} and Erika Hersch-Green and Fay, \{Philip A.\} and Sumanta Bagchi and Bakker, \{Jonathan D.\} and Dana Blumenthal and Boughton, \{Elizabeth H.\} and Brown, \{Cynthia S.\} and Bugalho, \{Miguel N.\} and Marc Cadotte and Caldeira, \{Maria C.\} and Catford, \{Jane A.\} and Clinton Carbutt and Qingqing Chen and Collins, \{Scott L.\} and Crowther, \{Thomas W.\} and Carla D{\textquoteright}Antonio and Dickman, \{Christopher R.\} and DuPre, \{Mary E.\} and Elgersma, \{Kenneth J.\} and Anu Eskelinen and Nicole Hagenah and Yann Hautier and Anke Jentsch and Knops, \{Johannes M.H.\} and Martina, \{Jason P.\} and McCulley, \{Rebecca L.\} and Stevens, \{Carly J.\} and Lauri Laanisto and O{\textquoteright}Halloran, \{Lydia R.\} and Peri, \{Pablo L.\} and Petr Macek and Smith, \{Nicholas G.\} and Gr{\'e}gory Sonnier and Veen, \{Ciska G.F.\} and Risto Virtanen",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 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.",

year = "2026",

doi = "10.1002/fee.70022",

language = "English",

journal = "Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment",

issn = "1540-9295",

publisher = "Wiley-Blackwell",

}

Yahdjian, L, Campana, S, Tognetti, PM, Alberti, J, Graff, P, Molina, C, Borer, ET, Seabloom, EW, Prober, SM, MacDougall, AS, Risch, AC, Price, JN, Power, SA, Barrio, IC, Hersch-Green, E, Fay, PA, Bagchi, S, Bakker, JD, Blumenthal, D, Boughton, EH, Brown, CS, Bugalho, MN, Cadotte, M, Caldeira, MC, Catford, JA, Carbutt, C, Chen, Q, Collins, SL, Crowther, TW, D’Antonio, C, Dickman, CR, DuPre, ME, Elgersma, KJ, Eskelinen, A, Hagenah, N, Hautier, Y, Jentsch, A, Knops, JMH, Martina, JP, McCulley, RL, Stevens, CJ, Laanisto, L, O’Halloran, LR, Peri, PL, Macek, P, Smith, NG, Sonnier, G, Veen, CGF & Virtanen, R 2026, 'Insights on global rangeland ecosystem services shaped by grazing and fertilization', Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment. https://doi.org/10.1002/fee.70022

TY - JOUR

T1 - Insights on global rangeland ecosystem services shaped by grazing and fertilization

AU - Yahdjian, Laura

AU - Campana, Sofía

AU - Tognetti, Pedro M.

AU - Alberti, Juan

AU - Graff, Pamela

AU - Molina, Cecilia

AU - Borer, Elizabeth T.

AU - Seabloom, Eric W.

AU - Prober, Suzanne M.

AU - MacDougall, Andrew S.

AU - Risch, Anita C.

AU - Price, Jodi N.

AU - Power, Sally A.

AU - Barrio, Isabel C.

AU - Hersch-Green, Erika

AU - Fay, Philip A.

AU - Bagchi, Sumanta

AU - Bakker, Jonathan D.

AU - Blumenthal, Dana

AU - Boughton, Elizabeth H.

AU - Brown, Cynthia S.

AU - Bugalho, Miguel N.

AU - Cadotte, Marc

AU - Caldeira, Maria C.

AU - Catford, Jane A.

AU - Carbutt, Clinton

AU - Chen, Qingqing

AU - Collins, Scott L.

AU - Crowther, Thomas W.

AU - D’Antonio, Carla

AU - Dickman, Christopher R.

AU - DuPre, Mary E.

AU - Elgersma, Kenneth J.

AU - Eskelinen, Anu

AU - Hagenah, Nicole

AU - Hautier, Yann

AU - Jentsch, Anke

AU - Knops, Johannes M.H.

AU - Martina, Jason P.

AU - McCulley, Rebecca L.

AU - Stevens, Carly J.

AU - Laanisto, Lauri

AU - O’Halloran, Lydia R.

AU - Peri, Pablo L.

AU - Macek, Petr

AU - Smith, Nicholas G.

AU - Sonnier, Grégory

AU - Veen, Ciska G.F.

AU - Virtanen, Risto

PY - 2026

Y1 - 2026

N2 - 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.

AB - 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.

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105027410849

U2 - 10.1002/fee.70022

DO - 10.1002/fee.70022

M3 - Review article

AN - SCOPUS:105027410849

SN - 1540-9295

JO - Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment

JF - Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment

ER -

Insights on global rangeland ecosystem services shaped by grazing and fertilization

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