FIGURE 1 - uploaded by Pedro Laterra
Content may be subject to copyright.
Distribution of the 110 selected studies over the worldwide map of KӧppenGaiger climate classification
Source publication
Grasslands have been modified and replaced worldwide and have affected water regulation ecosystem services. In order to support public policies attending to the consequences of different grassland modifications and replacements, general patterns and models about their consequences on water regulation are needed. We quantitatively meta-analyzed the...
Contexts in source publication
Context 1
... also checked for publication bias using funnel plots ( Figure S1; Ellis, 2010). RRs calculations and statistical analyses were performed using MetaWin 2.0 ( Rosenburg et al., 2000). ...
Citations
... Countries such as Australia, Russia, Brazil, and China have extensive grassland areas that serve as complex systems with diverse material cycles. Grasslands provide numerous ecosystem services, including water conservation, soil preservation, wind and sand control, and biodiversity protection, with carbon sequestration and the provision of livestock products being among the most significant contributions [1][2][3][4][5][6]. Grasslands play a critical role in global nutritional security, with ruminant livestock products derived from grasslands contributing nearly 20% of the protein consumed by humans [7][8][9]. ...
Inner Mongolia’s grasslands, covering 22% of China’s total grassland area, face critical challenges in balancing livestock production with carbon sequestration under climate change pressures. This study establishes an integrated assessment framework combining remote sensing monitoring, InVEST modeling, and life cycle assessment to analyze the spatial–temporal evolution of grassland ecological carrying capacity and livestock-related carbon emissions from 2000 to 2020. Key findings reveal a 78.8% increase in actual livestock carrying capacity (from 53.09 to 94.94 million sheep units), with Tongliao experiencing 185% growth, while Alxa League showed a 229,500 sheep unit decrease. The theoretical carrying capacity grew by 50.6%, yet severe ecological pressure emerged in western regions, as evidenced by Alxa League’s grass–livestock balance index exceeding 2100%. Carbon sequestration exhibited a northeast–southwest spatial pattern, decreasing by 7.4% during 2015–2020, while greenhouse gas emissions from intensive livestock systems reached 6.40 million tons CO2-eq in Tongliao by 2020. The results demonstrate that regions combining high-intensity husbandry with low carbon storage require urgent intervention. We propose three pathways: adaptive grazing management to reduce overloading in western pastoral zones, carbon monitoring systems to enhance sequestration in vulnerable ecosystems, and emission reduction technologies for intensive farming systems. These strategies provide actionable solutions for reconciling grassland sustainability with China’s dual carbon goals, offering insights for global pastoral ecosystem management.
... Pragasan et al. (2024) observed that grasslands deposit nutrients and organic matter into water bodies, increasing EC and TDS levels. Sirimarco et al. (2017) reported that grasslands influence water retention and filtration, affecting the chemical composition of water, including EC and TDS levels. However, the effectiveness of grasslands in enhancing water quality is supported by sampling stations close to grasslands, such as River Thwake and Kibwezi Bridge, which exhibit relatively lower pollution levels. ...
Studies on Land use/land cover (LULC) changes from 2015 to 2023 were analyzed to understand the spatial variation in water quality within the Athi River Basin. Data was extracted from Landsat 8 imagery from the USGS archive and analyzed using Google Earth Engine. Land use land cover (LULC) changes analyzed include six categories namely Bare-lands, Built-up, Farmlands, Forestlands, Grasslands, and Open-waters. Pearson correlation analysis was employed to assess the spatial LULC differences in water quality at different sampling stations within the mid-reaches of the Athi River Basin. Ground truthing surveys involving interviews were conducted to determine land use activities influencing water quality. The findings revealed significant LULC changes between 2015 and 2023. Barelands decreased by 7.06%, while built-up areas rose slightly by 0.29%. Farmland grew by 0.52%, forestlands by 4.54%. Grasslands increased by 2.77%, while open waters declined by 1.24% from 2015 to 2023. The result on spatial LULC differences indicated significant influence on water quality. Urbanization and agricultural activities generate pollutants such as Total Dissolved solids (TDS), Electrical Conductivity (EC), Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD5), cadmium, and chromium across the stations. Drought in open water with a -0.85 correlation result increases pollutants and dilution effect which worsens the water quality over time. The interview survey identified four land use drivers and a natural factor affecting water quality. Respondents cited climatic factors, agriculture, and settlement as primary drivers of water quality degradation, with industry and commercial activities as secondary drivers in the Athi River Basin. Climatic factors were associated with Grasslands and Farmlands. Agriculture impacted Forestlands and open waters, and Settlement influenced Bare-lands, Grasslands, and Forestlands. Industry affected Built-up/others and open waters, while commercial activities relate to Built-up. In conclusion, the Government of Kenya should enforce the regulations on environmental management, water resource conservation, sustainable land use, public health protection, irrigation control, forest preservation, and aquatic ecosystem conservation to safeguard the water quality of the Athi River Basin.
... Several studies provide evidence of the benefits of utilising plants in terms of improving soil infiltration rates. These studies stem from different areas of research, including hydrology (Archer et al., 2002), ecosystem dynamics, water availability for plant and crop development (de Andrade Bonetti et al., 2019), land-use changes (Hu et al., 2009;Sirimarco et al., 2018), soil erosion and conservation (Huang et al., 2017), groundwater recharge (Bargués-Tobella et al., 2020;Neris et al., 2012), reforestation and conservation (Leung et al., 2015), and the control of urban runoff (Bartens et al., 2008;Zhang et al., 2019). For instance, Bartens et al. (2008) assessed the potential of enhancing groundwater recharge of stormwater in an urban area through the use of black oak (Quercus velutina Lam.) and red maple (Acer rubrum L.). ...
... Some of the mechanisms that result in such a relationship include an increase in water-holding capacity (Demir and Dogan Demir, 2019;Minasny and McBratney, 2018;Nemes et al., 2005;Rawls et al., 2003), an increase in tortuosity due to aggregate formation (Nemes et al., 2005), and a reduction in wettability . As found in our study, many authors have also documented that the increase in soil hydraulic conductivity due to the presence of plants is often correlated with a decrease in soil BD since plant roots displace and lose compacted soil and increase pore volume (Challinor, 1968;Eviner and Chapin III, 2003;Hosur and Dasog, 1995;Huang et al., 2019Huang et al., , 2017Lyford and Qashu, 1969;Sirimarco et al., 2018;Usowicz and Lipiec, 2021). ...
... Hydrological studies in drylands also attest to the potential of using shrubs to improve water infiltration rates (Archer et al., 2002;Devitt and Smith, 2002;Dunkerley, 2000;Elkins et al., 1986;Lyford and Qashu, 1969;Martinez-Meza and Whitford, 1996). Grasses have also been shown to have a positive effect in terms of water quantity and quality in MAR systems (Valhondo et al., 2019(Valhondo et al., , 2020, even though they develop shallow and fibrous root systems that extend predominantly horizontally and are less reliable in enhancing infiltration rates (Archer et al., 2002;Jackson et al., 1996;Leung et al., 2015;Mitchell et al., 1995;Sirimarco et al., 2018;Zhang et al., 2019). ...
... Temperate grasslands store one third of the terrestrial soil organic carbon (SOC) and play an important role in biodiversity conservation. In addition, they provide a wide range of further soil functions and ecosystem services including water regulation by soil water infiltration and evapotranspiration, and nutrient regulation as well as groundwater protection through water filtration function (Bengtsson et al. 2019;Sirimarco et al. 2018). As global food demand increases, many of these sites have been transformed into agricultural land in the last decades to be used for crops production . ...
Understanding the impact of agricultural land use on the soil prokaryotic communities in connected downslope sites is crucial for developing sustainable strategies to preserve ecosystem properties and mitigate agriculture’s environmental impacts. In this study, we investigated topsoil samples collected at three time points in 2022 (March, June, and November) from two adjacent catenas, reaching from hillslope to floodplain. The catenas differed in land use (extensive grassland vs. extensive cropland) at the top and middle parts, while the floodplain remained an extensive grassland due to legal restrictions. Using quantitative real-time PCRs and metabarcoding, we assessed prokaryotic abundance and prokaryotic community composition. Results show higher bacterial abundance in the cropland-influenced floodplain part across all time points compared to the grassland-influenced floodplain part. Temporal dynamics revealed a progressive decrease in the shared prokaryotic communities of the floodplain parts, peaking at the summer sampling time point, indicating a significant influence of the respective management type of the agricultural sites over the bacterial and archaeal communities of the floodplain parts. Differential abundance analyses identified several nitrifying taxa as more abundant in the cropland-influenced floodplain. Upstream land use also influenced the prokaryotic network of the cropland-floodplain, with some cropland taxa becoming keystone taxa and altering network morphology, an effect not observed in the grassland-influenced floodplain. These findings suggest that upstream agricultural land use practices have exerted a long-term influence on the floodplain prokaryotic communities over the past three decades. Moreover, there is evidence suggesting that these prokaryotic communities may undergo a potential reset during winter, which requires further investigation.
... Recent analysis suggests 70% of all agricultural grasslands are now used for livestock production, but these practices are also the main threat to many grassland habitats, with inappropriate management cited as the leading cause of grassland degradation and soil erosion [4,[10][11][12][13][14]. However, if managed appropriately, livestock can be an essential tool in sustainable agricultural grasslands by increasing plant diversity and improving soil structure and function, to the extent that many conservation organisations now advocate the use of grazing animals in restoration projects [9,[15][16][17]. ...
Grasslands play a crucial role in exchanges between global ecosystems and the atmosphere and form an integral part of the agricultural industry. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are mutualistic symbionts of most grassland plant species and thereby influence the functional capacity of grassland systems. Agricultural grasslands are primarily used for livestock farming and are subjected to various management practices designed to increase production, but which also alter both plant and soil communities in the process. This research investigated the effects of a selection of management practices and environmental factors on the presence and abundance of AMF in upland Welsh grasslands. The aim was to identify how these management practices affected the abundance of AMF, assessed through microscopic observations of four AMF structures: spores, hyphae, vesicles and arbuscules. The results suggest grazing sheep and cattle together had the highest overall influence on AMF abundance compared to grazing sheep or cattle separately. High plant diversity correlated with high arbuscule and vesicle abundance, but conversely, the application of lime reduced vesicle abundance. These findings offer new insights into the effects of management practices on AMF. Mixing livestock, increasing plant diversity and reducing lime applications are shown here to improve the abundance of AMF and could, therefore, help to inform sustainable farm management decisions in the future.
... Intensive/conventional grazing can influence vegetation dynamics, and soil properties which may reduce water infiltration (Teague et al., 2011). For example, Sirimarco et al. (2018) reported that conventional grazing increased soil bulk density and reduced water infiltration. Further, intensive grazing can result in the early death of plants which reduces SOC accumulation and water infiltration (Teague et al., 2011). ...
Soil water retention is an important factor that influences cropping systems and environmental sustainability and can be affected by various agronomic practices. Agronomic practices including tillage, cover cropping, crop rotation, and animal grazing practices have been implemented over several centuries to enhance crop productivity by improving soil–seed contact, reducing weed competition, increasing nutrient availability and cycling, and improving animal health. Over time and as a result of technological advancements and an increasing global human population, these practices have gradually evolved to include the use of mechanised equipment aimed at reducing human labour and increasing productivity. However, these advancements in agronomic practices can influence water infiltration and retention. This chapter discusses these practices and their influence on water infiltration and retention. Suggestions are also made on how these practices can be used to optimise soil water retention and availability.
... In terms of regulating services, these forests can store a signi cant amount of carbon (Bordin et al. 2021;Pires et al. 2021) and, as common in other forested regions, contribute to the regulation of local climate and water quality near streams (Ferraz et al. 2014;Joly et al. 2019). Forests can increase water in ltration and regulate hydrological ow (Honda and Durigan 2017;Sirimarco et al. 2018), but their effect in increasing water quantity is uncertain due to high water demands and evapotranspiration. Besides carbon sequestration, riparian forests can reduce erosion and silting towards streams, improving water quality and reducing water treatment costs within a catchment (Brauman et al. 2007;Joly et al. 2019). ...
The southern region of Brazil is characterized by the dominance of extended grasslands. However, the landscape also contains different types of forests, such as Araucaria forests in the Atlantic Forest domain and Seasonal forests in the Pampa domain. This chapter addresses different elements of these forests in the South Brazilian grassland region. Based on a database of 139 forest sites with a total number of 675 tree species, all located in grassland-dominated landscapes, we analyzed the influence of current environmental and historical drivers on tree species richness and forest community composition. Our results show that only current environmental drivers, such as temperature seasonality, influence tree species richness, whereas both current environmental and historical drivers influence community composition. Further, we present examples of ecosystem functioning and services of these forests regarding water balance, carbon stocks, and soil productivity. Finally, we show landscape-level changes of forest cover. Across the region, forest cover increased in the last 35 years. However, this was driven by Seasonal forests in the Pampa region, while the Araucaria forests in the Atlantic forest region decreased in cover. We consider that the implementation of actions to restore mosaics of forests and grasslands in landscapes that were degraded is urgent. Despite their biological importance by harboring many floristic elements from different biogeographical affinities, the South Brazilian grassland region, including its forests, remains neglected in terms of biodiversity conservation.
... On a global scale, grasslands are one of the most transformed biomes, either replaced by crops or modified by livestock activity (Sirimarco et al., 2018). ...
... A escala global, los pastizales son uno de los biomas más transformados, ya sea reemplazados por cultivos o modificados por la actividad ganadera (Sirimarco et al., 2018). El cambio de uso del suelo ha demostrado ser la principal fuerza directriz con mayor impacto negativo sobre los ecosistemas terrestres (IPBES, 2019), de tal manera que contar con información espacialmente explícita sobre la relación entre patrones de usos del suelo, funciones y SE es fundamental para la toma de decisiones que permitan delinear estrategias sobre la planificación del territorio. ...
Introducción: Los cambios en el uso del suelo representan el factor de mayor impacto sobre los ecosistemas terrestres. El marco conceptual de servicios ecosistémicos permite la comprensión de cómo los cambios en los ecosistemas afectan al bienestar humano.Objetivo: Evaluar cambios en cinco funciones y dos servicios ecosistémicos clave en la región pampeana entre el 2001 y 2018, y analizar su relación con los cambios de usos del suelo.Materiales y métodos: A partir de modelos biofísicos se mapearon cinco funciones ecosistémicas (almacenamiento de carbono orgánico en el suelo, almacenamiento de carbono en biomasa, control de la erosión, fertilidad de suelos y retención de excesos de precipitación por la cobertura vegetal) y dos servicios ecosistémicos de regulación (amortiguación de inundaciones y regulaciónclimática) en el periodo 2001-2018. Los principales usos del suelo se caracterizaron a partir de datos de sensores remotos.Resultados y discusión: Las funciones ecosistémicas, a excepción del almacenamiento de carbono en biomasa, disminuyeron a escala regional entre el 2001 y 2018; la retención de precipitación por la cobertura (40.7 %) y el control de la erosión (35.4 %) disminuyeron en mayor medida. De igual manera, los servicios ecosistémicos de amortiguación de inundaciones y regulación climática disminuyeron 6.78 % y 6.8 %, respectivamente. Los patrones espaciales de disminución en los niveles de provisión dedichos servicios se asociaron al reemplazo de pastizales naturales por cultivos agrícolas.Conclusión: El uso de modelos biofísicos permitió analizar, espacialmente, la dinámica de servicios ecosistémicos de regulación y evaluar su relación con los cambios en el uso del suelo.
... A meta-analysis performed by Sirimarco et al. (2018) based on more than 100 scientific papers about land cover changes in different parts of the world found that replacing grasslands with forests (afforestation) may increase infiltration and evapotranspiration by up to 65 % and 30 %, respectively. Still, when crops replace pastures, water infiltration is significantly reduced without major changes in evapotranspiration. ...
The Gran Chaco ecoregion is South America’s largest remaining continuous stretch of dry forest. It has experienced intensive deforestation, mainly in the western part known as Dry Chaco, resulting in the highest rate of dry forest loss globally between 2000 and 2012. The replacement of natural vegetation with other land uses modifies the surface’s biophysical properties, affecting heat and water fluxes and modifying the regional climate. This study examines land use and land cover changes (LULCCs) in Dry Chaco from 2001 to 2015, their effects on local and non-local climate, and explores the potential impacts of future agricultural expansion in the region. To this end, Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model simulations are performed for two scenarios: the first one evaluates the observed land cover changes between 2001 and 2015 that covered 8 % of the total area of Dry Chaco; the second scenario assumes an intensive agricultural expansion within the Dry Chaco. In both scenarios, deforestation processes lead to decreases in LAI, increases in albedo, and reductions in stomatal resistance, reducing the net surface radiation and, correspondingly, a decrease in turbulent fluxes suggesting a decline in available energy in the boundary layer. The result is an overall weakening of the water cycle in the Dry Chaco and, most prominently, implies a reduction in precipitation. A feedback loop develops since dry soil absorbs significantly less solar radiation than moist soil. Finally, the simulations suggest that the Dry Chaco would intensify its aridity, extending the drier and hotter conditions into the Humid Chaco.
... However, studies on the effects on water flows for transitions between herbaceous vegetation (e.g. replacement of native grassland by sown pastures) are scarce and their conclusions are not consistent (Sirimarco et al., 2018). ...
... However, some studies have shown that the replacement of tall-tussock grasslands by other grass species can decrease soil water content (Davie et al., 2006;Sakalauskas et al., 2001). This indicates that the differences in evapotranspiration are highly dependent on the state of natural grassland or pasture and grazing intensity (Sirimarco et al., 2018). Another important component of the water cycle that is generally overlooked in grassland studies is rainfall interception by plant canopy. ...
Cow-calf production is the main practice within marginal agricultural lands of the world, like the Flooding Pampa of Argentina, where it promotes the transformation of native tall-tussock grasslands Paspalum quadrifarium into native short-grass grasslands or sown pastures. The effect of these land use changes on water dynamics are not well understood, especially in regions subjected to marked interannual drought and flooding cycles. Here we measured soil properties (infiltration rate, bulk density and soil organic matter), rainfall interception by the canopy, and soil moisture during two years with different annual rainfall. Then, we parameterized a hydrological model (HYDRUS) for inferring consequences of soil water fluxes on water regulation. Infiltration rate was significantly higher in native tall-tussock grasslands than native short-grass grasslands and sown pastures, bulk density was significantly lower in native tall-tussock grasslands than native short-grass grasslands and sown pastures, and soil organic matter was significantly higher in native tall-tussock grasslands than sown pastures. Simulated water dynamics during years of low annual precipitation (summer rainfall deficit), show that transpiration and evaporation from native short-grass grasslands represented 59 % and 23 % of total water balance, whereas transpiration and evaporation from native tall-tussock grasslands represented 70 % and 12 %, respectively. This result reflects the high productive capacity of native tall-tussock grasslands under dry conditions. In contrast, under high annual precipitation (excess during fall and winter), transpiration and evaporation from native short-grass grasslands represented 48 % and 26 % of total water balance, whereas in native tall-tussock grasslands represented 35 % and 9 %, respectively. These results suggest a low capacity of native tall-tussock grasslands to evacuate water excess, especially during fall and winter. The observed differences in water fluxes between native tall-tussock grasslands and native short-grass grasslands are important to understand water dynamics under different climatic conditions and could be useful for adaptation to climate change through ecosystem-based management.
