Effects of grazing on soil respiration in global grassland ecosystems

Soil respiration is an important process in the global carbon cycle, one that plays a crucial role in altering carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere. However, the effects of grazing on soil respiration at the global scale remain unclear. Here, we analyzed 688 paired observations from 69 studies worldwide and found that grazing substantially suppresses soil respiration (including autotrophic respiration and heterotrophic respiration). Moreover, these negative effects on soil respiration were amplified at higher grazing intensity, longer grazing duration (> 10 years) and higher temperature (> 5 °C). Importantly, changes in belowground biomass drive soil respiration in response to grazing in grassland ecosystems worldwide. Overall, accurately predicting the soil respiration pattern in grazed grasslands allows us to minimize the impact of grazing on grassland functional structure and improve the sustainability of livestock production.