Multi-diversity strengthens multifunctionality in grasslands with
intensive grazing pressure
Abstract
Livestock grazing strongly affects biodiversity and ecosystem
functioning in grasslands. However, it remains unclear how different
grazing impact multiple biodiversity, ecosystem multifunctionality
(EMF), and their relationship with the interactions of grazing duration,
livestock type and climatic factors. Here, we conducted a global
synthesis from 104 published studies. Our results showed that light and
moderate grazing improved multi-diversity, but heavy grazing
significantly decreased multi-diversity and EMF. The grazing-induced
decrease of EMF intensified with grazing duration, and the reduction of
multi-diversity and EMF under intensive grazing was stronger in more
arid climates. The response of EMF increased linearly with that of
multi-diversity under all grazing intensities. Moreover, grazing
intensity reduced EMF largely via decreasing multi-diversity, whereas a
shift of livestock type from small to large size promoted EMF by
increasing multi-diversity. This study provides first empirical evidence
and new insights into the relationship between multi-diversity and EMF
under grazing in global grasslands.