Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment最新文献

{"title":"Biological nitrogen availability in vineyards: Assessing the influence of soil particle size fractions and spatial distribution","authors":"Bangwei Zhang ,&nbsp;David L. Burton ,&nbsp;Keith D. Fuller ,&nbsp;Andrew M. Hammermeister ,&nbsp;Gordon W. Price","doi":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110264","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110264","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Accurately assessing soil nitrogen (N) supply (SNS) in perennial <em>Vitis vinifera</em> systems is essential yet challenging, often leading to over-fertilization and environmental degradation. Moreover, critical knowledge gaps persist regarding how soil particle size fractions interact with organic N pools (labile vs. stable) to influence SNS and spatial distribution across vineyard. This study is the first to validate the Biological N Availability (BNA) method in vineyard soils, demonstrating its field applicability as a rapid, cost-effective tool for quantifying in-season SNS and supporting N management decisions. Here we examined soil N dynamics in 11 vineyards by implementing BNA method to estimate growing season soil N mineralization (GSN) and analyzing N content in distinct soil fractions (&gt;53 µm, &lt;53 µm, and soluble organic N). The stable N pool was close related to the sand-sized fraction, while N in the micro-fraction was more closely associated with the labile N pool and exerted a stronger influence on GSN. Furthermore, the labile N pool was more sensitive to vineyard location and soil depth than the stable N pool, highlighting the importance of site-specific soil management practices. Topsoil in primary grape-growing areas of Nova Scotia could supply approximately 218 kg N·ha⁻¹ of GSN. By quantifying vineyard SNS using the BNA method and elucidating its interactions with soil fractions and spatial distribution, this study offers novel insights into N dynamics in vineyard soils and provides a foundation for optimizing N use efficiency, enhancing soil health, and reducing environmental risks in perennial cropping systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7512,"journal":{"name":"Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment","volume":"400 ","pages":"Article 110264"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146090178","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Weed control provided by seed predators saves 20 % crop yield in cereal fields","authors":"Lucile Muneret ,&nbsp;Benjamin Carbonne ,&nbsp;Bruno Chauvel ,&nbsp;Alexandre Dosset ,&nbsp;Chantal Ducourtieux ,&nbsp;Nicolas Henon ,&nbsp;Emeline Felten ,&nbsp;Emilien Laurent ,&nbsp;Annick Matejicek ,&nbsp;Sandrine Petit","doi":"10.1016/j.agee.2025.110196","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agee.2025.110196","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Although many herbicide active substances have been banned, and while weed infestation is a major threat to crop productivity, the extent to which natural weed control provided by seed predators can help farmers manage weed communities remains unknown. The contribution of seed predators to crop productivity through weed control was quantified, and it was assessed whether farming systems such as conservation agriculture played a role in bolstering their impact. A total of 112 seed predator-exclusion cages were set up in 28 cereal fields in France (14 pairs of plots, in which one plot was managed under conservation agriculture and the other under conventional agriculture). Weed emergence and biomass were surveyed, crop yield was measured, and the main seed predators—carabid beetles and rodents—were sampled. A 20 % reduction in yield loss due to weeds was found to be caused by seed predator activity, which was extrapolated to an economic gain of 285 €/ha. However, a whole 60 % of the maximum crop yield potential reached in the absence of weeds remains lost. Moreover, while conservation agriculture enhances weed control, this does not translate into increased crop yield. This study demonstrates the tangible importance of considering seed predators for weed control but highlights the need to combine this approach with other weed control practices or to substantially redesign cropping systems to enhance the beneficial effects of biodiversity on crop productivity.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7512,"journal":{"name":"Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment","volume":"400 ","pages":"Article 110196"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145941074","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Bromus inermis forage production and quality under long-term rotational grazing and nutrient enrichment in Eastern Nebraska, U.S.","authors":"Hassan Shehab ,&nbsp;Makki Khorchani ,&nbsp;Anastasios Mazis ,&nbsp;Jeremy Hiller ,&nbsp;Galen Erickson ,&nbsp;Marty Schmer ,&nbsp;Brian Wardlow ,&nbsp;Andy Suyker ,&nbsp;Xiangmin Sun ,&nbsp;Lidong Li ,&nbsp;Rebecca McDermott ,&nbsp;Ariel Freidenreich ,&nbsp;Girma Birru ,&nbsp;Virginia Jin ,&nbsp;Tala Awada","doi":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110216","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110216","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Rising food and feed demand, coupled with climate uncertainties, poses a growing threat to the sustainability and resilience of pasture and agriculture lands in the Great Plains. Smooth bromegrass (<em>Bromus inermis, Lyess</em>), a C₃ cool-season grass, dominates cattle grazing pastures in eastern Nebraska and is valued for its productivity and nutritional quality. However, nitrogen fertilization of smooth brome pastures carries nitrate leaching risks, and potential water degradation. Dry Distiller Grains plus Solubles (DDGS), a by-product of corn ethanol production, has emerged as an alternative to mineral fertilization. This study investigated the interactive effects of long-term (2005–2023) pasture management (fertilization and rotational grazing) and climate variability on smooth bromegrass performance over four years (2020–2023). Treatments included mineral nitrogen fertilization, DDGS supplementation, and no fertilization, each under grazed and ungrazed conditions. Biomass (total and live), leaf area index, chlorophyll content, crude protein, acid detergent fiber, neutral detergent fiber, and soil moisture were measured seasonally and across years. Results showed that fertilization consistently produced higher biomass, leaf area index, and crude protein, relative to other treatments, reinforcing its role in sustaining forage productivity. DDGS, while offering a reduced environmental footprint, showed potential in enhancing forage production and quality under average or above average precipitation and soil moisture. However, its efficacy declined during dry years. While long-term fertilization treatment remained the most consistent strategy for sustaining productivity under both ungrazed and rotational grazing systems, DDGS supplementation emerged as a strategic option for regions with adequate growing season precipitation, reducing reliance on mineral fertilizers without compromising yields. These findings emphasize the value of adaptive practices that integrate fertilization and grazing to maintain smooth bromegrass productivity under increasing climate variability.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7512,"journal":{"name":"Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment","volume":"400 ","pages":"Article 110216"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145956701","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Conversion of degraded pasture to cocoa agroforestry in the Brazilian Amazon: Improvements in soil physical and biological properties","authors":"Nilza Martins de Queiroz Xavier Brasil ,&nbsp;Norberto Cornejo Noronha ,&nbsp;Vivian Dielly da Silva Farias ,&nbsp;Alberto Bentes Brasil Neto ,&nbsp;Eduardo Jorge Maklouf Carvalho ,&nbsp;Josiane Martins de Queiroz Xavier Silveira ,&nbsp;Sandra Andrea Santos da Silva","doi":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110268","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110268","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The conversion of degraded pastures into sustainable production systems in the Brazilian Amazon has been recognized as a relevant strategy to address climate challenges, restore ecosystem functions, and support low-emission agricultural models. In this study, we evaluated the effects of converting a degraded extensive pasture into commercial cocoa-based agroforestry systems (AFSs) established for 12 and 25 years on soil physical and biological properties, using a remaining pasture and a native forest fragment as reference land-use systems. The following variables were determined: soil organic matter, carbon stock, bulk density, total porosity, macroporosity, microporosity, and penetration resistance (0–0.1, 0.1–0.2, and 0.2–0.4 m depth), Visual Evaluation of Soil Structure (VESS) (0–0.25 m depth), and soil macrofauna (0–0.1 m depth). The AFSs showed higher soil organic matter, greater carbon stock, and higher porosity, along with reduced soil bulk density and lower penetration resistance compared with the pasture, with more pronounced improvements in the surface layers. The 25-year AFS exhibited greater macrofauna abundance and higher taxonomic richness, with a notable contribution of ecosystem engineers, indicating advances in soil structural and functional reorganization. Multivariate analysis revealed a clear degradation–restoration gradient, positioning the AFSs along a progressive trajectory toward native-forest conditions. These results demonstrate that cocoa-based AFSs represent an effective proposal to restore degraded soils in the Amazon, reinforce ecosystem processes, and enhance the sustainability of productive landscapes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7512,"journal":{"name":"Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment","volume":"400 ","pages":"Article 110268"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146090179","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Intercropping cotton with wheat or maize enhances biological pest control but only intercropping with wheat improves cotton yield","authors":"Shuangshuang Jia ,&nbsp;Enjing Hu ,&nbsp;Minlong Li ,&nbsp;Bing Liu ,&nbsp;Long Yang ,&nbsp;Wopke van der Werf ,&nbsp;Felix J.J.A. Bianchi ,&nbsp;Yanhui Lu","doi":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110247","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110247","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Intercropping is a promising strategy for ecologically based pest management in field crops. However, its effects on pest suppression and crop yield vary across species combinations, requiring experiments to identify context-specific driving principles and guide practical application. We evaluated the effects of intercropping cotton with spring wheat or maize on pest suppression and yield. Aphid and natural enemy populations were monitored in intercropped and sole cotton, and predation activity was assessed using cotton bollworm egg cards. Cotton yield was also measured. Aphid densities on cotton were 63 % lower in both cotton-wheat and cotton-maize than in sole cotton in 2023, and 24 % and 29 % lower in cotton-wheat and cotton-maize than in sole cotton in 2024. No significant difference was observed in cotton aphid control between the two intercrops in either year. Ladybeetle densities during early cotton aphid population build-up were higher in the two intercrops than in sole cotton. The predation rate on cotton bollworm eggs was 10 % - 178 % higher in intercrops with wheat and maize. Cotton yield was 18 % higher in cotton-wheat but 18 % lower in cotton-maize than in sole cotton. Different strength of interspecific plant competition is the likely key driver for the difference in yield impact of the two companion species. We conclude that both spring wheat and maize enhance natural enemies and reduce aphid populations in cotton, but only intercropping with wheat enhanced cotton yield. Results indicate that cotton-cereal intercropping is a robust strategy to suppress cotton aphid and reduce reliance on insecticides, but interspecific plant competition needs to be considered to ensure cotton yield.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7512,"journal":{"name":"Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment","volume":"400 ","pages":"Article 110247"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146035273","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Traditional coppicing and mowing maintain semi-natural habitats in the Tokyo metropolitan area","authors":"Kei Uchida ,&nbsp;Yuki Iwachido","doi":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110215","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110215","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Understanding the impact of reintroducing traditional land-use practices on habitat quality and biodiversity is essential. Coppicing and mowing may enhance soil moisture by reducing dominant species, thereby promoting species coexistence. Coppicing also improves sunlight availability for understory plants. To fully understand biodiversity recovery in semi-natural ecosystems, it is necessary to examine the interaction between biodiversity and human management. This study investigated the effects of reintroducing traditional management practices on plant diversity in urban habitats, focusing on three factors: management (coppicing and mowing), local environment (soil moisture and sunlight), and landscape context (proportions of urban, agricultural, and forest areas). Specifically, we addressed: (1) whether traditional management practices maintain plant species richness, and (2) how these practices influence local environmental conditions to support biodiversity. Our findings confirm that traditional management fosters plant diversity, aligning with research in Europe. This study further highlights that even in the Tokyo Metropolitan Area—the world’s largest urban area—traditional ecological knowledge remains crucial for biodiversity conservation. Maintaining human-nature connections in urban environments is crucial, as traditional practices enhance native plant diversity, aesthetic value, and ecosystem services, such as pollinator support and urban pest control. However, demographic shifts in developed countries may challenge the continuation of these practices, necessitating more efficient management strategies in the future.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7512,"journal":{"name":"Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment","volume":"400 ","pages":"Article 110215"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145941073","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Contrasting responses of particulate and mineral-associated organic carbon stocks to grazing exclusion in an alpine meadow","authors":"Jiacong Zhou ,&nbsp;Shuo Liu ,&nbsp;Kees Jan van Groenigen ,&nbsp;Carsten W. Mueller ,&nbsp;Raúl Ochoa-Hueso ,&nbsp;Nicolas Fanin ,&nbsp;Zixuan Ren ,&nbsp;Yixuan Zhang ,&nbsp;Ying Ma ,&nbsp;Siyi Sun ,&nbsp;Junxi Hu ,&nbsp;Yao Zhang ,&nbsp;Laura Yahdjian ,&nbsp;Wolfgang Wanek ,&nbsp;Jørgen Eivind Olesen ,&nbsp;Yakov Kuzyakov ,&nbsp;Ji Liu ,&nbsp;Ji Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110227","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110227","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Grazing exclusion is widely used as an effective soil restoration strategy in degraded grasslands to enhance soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks. However, the magnitude and direction of the effects of grazing exclusion on SOC remain unclear, due to limited understanding of changes in SOC constituent pools. Here, we investigated the impacts of 6-year (GE6) and 14-year (GE14) grazing exclusion on particulate (POC) and mineral-associated organic carbon (MAOC) stocks in an alpine meadow on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Compared to grazing treatments, GE6 and GE14 reduced POC stocks by 41 % and 68 %, respectively, across the 0–30 cm soil depth. In contrast, GE6 increased MAOC stocks by 49 %, whereas GE14 had no significant effect on MAOC stocks. The decline in POC likely resulted from reduced litter incorporation into soils, together with enhanced decomposition driven by elevated oxidative enzyme activities. Changes in MAOC stocks were linked to increased above- and belowground plant biomass, which promoted microbial necromass C production. However, the absence of MAOC gains under GE14 limited overall SOC accumulation, underscoring the need to optimize grazing exclusion duration. Collectively, these results show that the responses of SOC stocks to grazing exclusion depend largely on microbial transformation of plant-derived C rather than on increased plant biomass alone, highlighting the pivotal role of microbes in regulating SOC sequestration in alpine grasslands.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7512,"journal":{"name":"Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment","volume":"400 ","pages":"Article 110227"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145941175","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Bambi effect: Leveraging public sentiment on roe deer fawn rescue for broader conservation effort","authors":"Jan Cukor","doi":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110228","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110228","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Conventional agricultural practices, especially the rapid harvesting of meadows, pose a serious threat to wildlife. Roe deer (<em>Capreolus capreolus</em> L.) fawns are particularly vulnerable, as their survival strategy is to stay hidden in tall vegetation without movement to avoid predators. In Central Europe, the meadow harvest results in the unethical deaths of tens of thousands of roe deer fawns. This human-wildlife conflict has led to large-scale fawn rescues by the wildlife managers and public, especially in recent years with the development of thermal-imaging drone use. These efforts are often emotionally driven and widely shared on social media, focusing on protecting visually appealing species. However, this selective attention risks neglecting less “attractive” yet endangered farmland species, such as birds and invertebrates. Therefore—based on the strong public engagement in fawn rescue—the aim is to highlight that the effort should be expanded toward broader biodiversity conservation in agroecosystems, including protection of less attractive species, promoting habitat diversity, sustainable land use, and long-term ecological resilience.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7512,"journal":{"name":"Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment","volume":"400 ","pages":"Article 110228"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145941176","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Phosphorus limitation drives aggregate-scale variations in microbial carbon use efficiency during grassland restoration: A stoichiometric regulation","authors":"Zhenfeng Zang ,&nbsp;Yingxue Li ,&nbsp;Fuhao Tang ,&nbsp;Shujuan Deng ,&nbsp;Ke Yang ,&nbsp;Jinghui Li ,&nbsp;Yang Lv ,&nbsp;Wei Zhao","doi":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110241","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110241","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Microbial carbon use efficiency (CUE) regulates the allocation of assimilated carbon between microbial biomass production and respiration during grassland restoration; however, its aggregate-scale drivers remain unclear. We investigated how phosphorus limitation affects microbial CUE across different aggregate fractions during a 45-year restoration chronosequence on the Loess Plateau of China. Soil samples were separated into large macroaggregates (LMA, &gt;2 mm), small macroaggregates (SMA, 0.25–2 mm), and microaggregates (MI, &lt;0.25 mm). Enzyme stoichiometry vector analysis indicated consistent shifts from carbon to phosphorus limitation across all aggregate fractions as restoration progressed. Despite these convergent metabolic constraints, CUE exhibited aggregate-specific dynamics: LMA showed continuous decline (24 % reduction), SMA displayed a U-shaped response (initially decreasd significantly by 36 %, followed by a significant recovery), while MI maintained relatively stable CUE throughout the chronosequence. Structural equation modeling demonstrated that microbial biomass C:N ratio was the primary positive driver of CUE in large macroaggregates, whereas the dissolved organic carbon: available nitrogen ratio negatively influenced CUE in both small macro- and microaggregates. Our results demonstrate that soil aggregate architecture fundamentally mediates stoichiometric imbalances and microbial metabolism during ecosystem restoration. The adverse correlation between phosphorus limitation and CUE in LMA contrasts with adaptive responses in SMA, underscoring the necessity of considering microhabitat-specific constraints when predicting soil carbon dynamics, which has implications for optimizing restoration practices to enhance soil carbon sequestration.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7512,"journal":{"name":"Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment","volume":"400 ","pages":"Article 110241"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145962093","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Global-to-regional variations in the effects of grassland management on soil carbon","authors":"Xi Lin ,&nbsp;Shengwei Zhang ,&nbsp;Alfredo Huete ,&nbsp;Han Y.H. Chen ,&nbsp;Hongbin Zhao ,&nbsp;Qinsi He ,&nbsp;Shengwei Lv ,&nbsp;Qian Zhang ,&nbsp;Xiaoduo Zhang ,&nbsp;Xiaofeng Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110251","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agee.2026.110251","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Global climate change is altering carbon cycling in terrestrial ecosystems and challenging the carbon storage capacity of grasslands. The ecological effects of grazing exclusions, as a key management strategy, and the scale-dependent mechanisms underlying them warrant further investigation. We constructed a multi-scale nested analysis framework for the China-Inner Mongolia region and global scale to systematically assess the impact patterns of grazing exclusion on soil carbon content and vegetation properties under varying environmental conditions. Based on our meta-analysis, we found that grazing exclusion resulted in an average increase of 23.4 % in soil organic carbon content compared to continuous grazing on a global scale, with long-term grazing restrictions (&gt;30 years) having the most significant positive impact on soil organic carbon. Grazing exclusion significantly enhanced the sustained recovery of global grassland plant biomass, coverage, and soil properties (including soil organic carbon, total nitrogen, available phosphorus, soil water content, and bulk density). However, species richness displayed a distinct temporal pattern, with significant gains occurring only during moderate grazing exclusion periods (10–30 years). Globally and in China, both soil organic carbon (SOC) and soil water content (SWC) positively influenced vegetation richness during short-term grazing exclusion (0–10 years). In Inner Mongolia, detailed analyses revealed a decoupling of soil and vegetation responses: grazing exclusion markedly improved vegetation recovery but did not significantly alter SOC, underscoring complex local-scale ecological processes. Overall, our findings demonstrate the global generality of grazing exclusion effects alongside their scale-dependent mechanisms, providing a scientific foundation for scale-appropriate, adaptive grassland management strategies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7512,"journal":{"name":"Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment","volume":"400 ","pages":"Article 110251"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145973849","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}