Intensification differentially affects the delivery of multiple ecosystem services in subtropical and temperate grasslands

Intensification, the process of intensifying land management to enhance agricultural goods, results in “intensive” pastures that are planted with productive grasses and fertilized. These intensive provide essential ecosystem services, including forage production for livestock. Understanding synergies tradeoffs pasture intensification on delivery services across climatic regions is crucial shape policies incentives better natural resources. Here, we investigated how grassland affects key components provisioning (forage productivity quality), supporting (plant diversity) regulating (CO2 CH4 fluxes) by comparing these between versus extensive subtropical temperate USDA Long-term Agroecosystem Research (LTAR) Network sites Florida Oklahoma, USA over multiple years. Our suggest led a decrease measured but increased digestibility pastures. Intensification decreased net CO2 sink while it did not affect capacity pastures; also environmental emissions from reduced uptake enhanced global warming potential associated C fluxes both ecoregions. study demonstrates comparisons agroecosystems contrasting ecoregions can reveal important drivers general or region-specific opportunities solutions maintaining reducing footprints. Further LTAR network-scale croplands grazinglands intensively vs extensively managed warranted inform sustainable agriculture within US beyond. highlight achieving food security stewardship will involve conservation less adopting strategies