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Soil legacy of grazing shapes current ecosystem multifunctionality in a temperate grassland.

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Title: Soil legacy of grazing shapes current ecosystem multifunctionality in a temperate grassland.
Authors: Wu J; Institute of Grassland Science, Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology, Ministry of Education/Jilin Songnen Grassland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China., Xi N; Hainan Baoting Tropical Rainforest Ecosystem Observation and Research Station, School of Ecology, Hainan University, Haikou, 570228, China. Electronic address: nianxunxi@yahoo.com., Yang G; Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Charles University, CZ-12800, Prague, Czech Republic., Delgado-Baquerizo M; Laboratorio de Biodiversidad y Funcionamiento Ecosistémico, Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Sevilla (IRNAS), CSIC, Seville, Spain., Wang D; Institute of Grassland Science, Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology, Ministry of Education/Jilin Songnen Grassland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China. Electronic address: wangd@nenu.edu.cn.
Source: Journal of environmental management [J Environ Manage] 2025 Dec; Vol. 395, pp. 127922. Date of Electronic Publication: 2025 Nov 05.
Publication Type: Journal Article
Language: English
Journal Info: Publisher: Academic Press Country of Publication: England NLM ID: 0401664 Publication Model: Print-Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1095-8630 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 03014797 NLM ISO Abbreviation: J Environ Manage Subsets: MEDLINE
Imprint Name(s): Original Publication: London ; New York, Academic Press.
MeSH Terms: Grassland* , Soil*/chemistry , Ecosystem* , Herbivory* , Soil Microbiology*, Animals ; Livestock
Abstract: Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.
Herbivore grazing has been recognized as a critical factor that alters both soil abiotic and biotic properties in grassland ecosystems, leaving significant long-term soil legacies. These soil legacies potentially influence current ecosystem multifunctionality (EMF). Yet, the contribution of historical grazing to current levels of EMF remains virtually unknown. Here, we experimented to evaluate the soil legacy effects of grazing with different levels of intensity on current levels of EMF in a temperate grassland that had been free of livestock for ca. 30 years. We found long-lasting effects of grazing on ecosystem multifunctionality, suggesting that any impacts of grazing today can have consequences in the future, even after grazing is excluded from ecosystems. EMF and soil microbial richness peaked under moderate historical grazing, with EMF 91 %, 26 %, and 75 % higher than under extremely heavy, heavy, and light grazing, respectively, while bacterial and fungal richness increased by 3-8 % and 9-20 % respectively. These aligned gains suggest that moderate grazing created intermediate soil disturbance and resource conditions that favoured both microbial diversity and EMF, likely leaving the strongest ecological legacies. Our study reveals novel insights about the existence of long-lasting effects of grazing legacies on EMF, which should inform strategies for restoring overgrazed grasslands and promoting sustainable grazing systems. These findings further highlight the importance of incorporating grazing-history assessments into grassland restoration planning and management.
(Copyright © 2025 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)
Contributed Indexing: Keywords: Ecosystem multifunctionality; Grazing; Herbivore; Soil legacy; Soil microbial diversity
Substance Nomenclature: 0 (Soil)
Entry Date(s): Date Created: 20251106 Date Completed: 20251203 Latest Revision: 20251203
Update Code: 20251203
DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.127922
PMID: 41197488
Database: MEDLINE
Description
Abstract:Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.<br />Herbivore grazing has been recognized as a critical factor that alters both soil abiotic and biotic properties in grassland ecosystems, leaving significant long-term soil legacies. These soil legacies potentially influence current ecosystem multifunctionality (EMF). Yet, the contribution of historical grazing to current levels of EMF remains virtually unknown. Here, we experimented to evaluate the soil legacy effects of grazing with different levels of intensity on current levels of EMF in a temperate grassland that had been free of livestock for ca. 30 years. We found long-lasting effects of grazing on ecosystem multifunctionality, suggesting that any impacts of grazing today can have consequences in the future, even after grazing is excluded from ecosystems. EMF and soil microbial richness peaked under moderate historical grazing, with EMF 91 %, 26 %, and 75 % higher than under extremely heavy, heavy, and light grazing, respectively, while bacterial and fungal richness increased by 3-8 % and 9-20 % respectively. These aligned gains suggest that moderate grazing created intermediate soil disturbance and resource conditions that favoured both microbial diversity and EMF, likely leaving the strongest ecological legacies. Our study reveals novel insights about the existence of long-lasting effects of grazing legacies on EMF, which should inform strategies for restoring overgrazed grasslands and promoting sustainable grazing systems. These findings further highlight the importance of incorporating grazing-history assessments into grassland restoration planning and management.<br /> (Copyright © 2025 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)
ISSN:1095-8630
DOI:10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.127922