The global extent of the grassland biome and implications for the terrestrial carbon sink

Autores
MacDougall, A. S.; Vanzant, B.; Sulik, J.; Bagchi, S.; Naidu, D.; Muraina, T. O.; Seabloom, Eric; Borer, Elizabeth; Wilfahrt, P.; Slette, I.; Hierro, Jose Luis; Pearson, D. E.; Abedi, M.; Akasaka, M.; Alberti, Juan; Aleksanyan, A.; Amisu, A. A.; Anderson, T. M.; Arnillas, C. A.; Ayer, M.; Bakker, J. D.; Basant, S.; Basto, S.; Biederman, L.; Bloodworth, K. J.; Young, H. S.; Zeglin, L. H.; Zhu, K.; Zong, S.; Siewert, M. B.
Año de publicación
2026
Idioma
inglés
Tipo de recurso
artículo
Estado
versión publicada
Descripción
Land cover data are commonly used to model the terrestrial carbon (C)sink, yet these data have wide margins of error that significantly alter estimates of global C storage. Here we demonstrate this data vulnerabilityin grasslands, which are critical to C cycling but whose estimated distribution has varied by >50 million km2 (3.5–42% of the Earth’s terrestrial surface). Comparing multiple high-resolution land cover products with expertly annotated grassland data from six continents, we show sources of mapping error and discuss C implications based on 2023 United Nations (UN) FAO estimates. Past misidentification arose from inconsistent definitions on grassland identity and classification flaws especially relating to woodyplant cover. Correcting these errors adjusted grassland coverage to 22.8% of the terrestrial land base (30.1 million km2), elevating UN projections of soil C stocks to 155.02 Pg (0–30 cm depth). These findings underscore the challenges of biome mapping for ecosystem accounting and policy, when lacking field-validated remotely sensed data.
Fil: MacDougall, A. S.. University Of Guelph. Department Of Integrative Biology.; Canadá
Fil: Vanzant, B.. University Of Guelph. Department Of Integrative Biology.; Canadá
Fil: Sulik, J.. University Of Guelph. Department Of Integrative Biology.; Canadá
Fil: Bagchi, S.. Indian Institute of Science; India
Fil: Naidu, D.. Indian Institute Of Science; India
Fil: Muraina, T. O.. Oyo State College of Agriculture and Technology; Nigeria. Texas State University; Estados Unidos
Fil: Seabloom, Eric. University of Minnesota; Estados Unidos
Fil: Borer, Elizabeth. University of Minnesota; Estados Unidos
Fil: Wilfahrt, P.. University of Minnesota; Estados Unidos
Fil: Slette, I.. University of Minnesota; Estados Unidos
Fil: Hierro, Jose Luis. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa. Universidad Nacional de La Pampa. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa; Argentina
Fil: Pearson, D. E.. United States Department of Agriculture; Estados Unidos
Fil: Abedi, M.. Tarbiat Modares University; Irán
Fil: Akasaka, M.. Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology; Japón
Fil: Alberti, Juan. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras; Argentina
Fil: Aleksanyan, A.. Institute of Botany aft. A.Takhtajyan NAS; Armenia
Fil: Amisu, A. A.. Federal University of Agriculture; Nigeria
Fil: Anderson, T. M.. Wake Forest University; Estados Unidos
Fil: Arnillas, C. A.. University of Toronto–Scarborough; Canadá
Fil: Ayer, M.. National Parks and Wildlife Conservation; Nepal
Fil: Bakker, J. D.. University of Washington; Estados Unidos
Fil: Basant, S.. University of Nevada; Estados Unidos
Fil: Basto, S.. Pontificia Universidad Javeriana; Colombia
Fil: Biederman, L.. Iowa State University; Estados Unidos
Fil: Bloodworth, K. J.. University of Maryland; Estados Unidos
Fil: Young, H. S.. University of California; Estados Unidos
Fil: Zeglin, L. H.. Kansas State University; Estados Unidos
Fil: Zhu, K.. University of Michigan; Estados Unidos
Fil: Zong, S.. Northeast Normal University; China
Fil: Siewert, M. B.. Umeå University; Suecia
Materia
CARBON
CONSERVATION
GRASSLANDS
TERRESTRIAL BIOMES
Nivel de accesibilidad
acceso abierto
Condiciones de uso
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.5/ar/
Repositorio
CONICET Digital (CONICET)
Institución
Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
OAI Identificador
oai:ri.conicet.gov.ar:11336/287846

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spelling The global extent of the grassland biome and implications for the terrestrial carbon sinkMacDougall, A. S.Vanzant, B.Sulik, J.Bagchi, S.Naidu, D.Muraina, T. O.Seabloom, EricBorer, ElizabethWilfahrt, P.Slette, I.Hierro, Jose LuisPearson, D. E.Abedi, M.Akasaka, M.Alberti, JuanAleksanyan, A.Amisu, A. A.Anderson, T. M.Arnillas, C. A.Ayer, M.Bakker, J. D.Basant, S.Basto, S.Biederman, L.Bloodworth, K. J.Young, H. S.Zeglin, L. H.Zhu, K.Zong, S.Siewert, M. B.CARBONCONSERVATIONGRASSLANDSTERRESTRIAL BIOMEShttps://purl.org/becyt/ford/1.6https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1Land cover data are commonly used to model the terrestrial carbon (C)sink, yet these data have wide margins of error that significantly alter estimates of global C storage. Here we demonstrate this data vulnerabilityin grasslands, which are critical to C cycling but whose estimated distribution has varied by >50 million km2 (3.5–42% of the Earth’s terrestrial surface). Comparing multiple high-resolution land cover products with expertly annotated grassland data from six continents, we show sources of mapping error and discuss C implications based on 2023 United Nations (UN) FAO estimates. Past misidentification arose from inconsistent definitions on grassland identity and classification flaws especially relating to woodyplant cover. Correcting these errors adjusted grassland coverage to 22.8% of the terrestrial land base (30.1 million km2), elevating UN projections of soil C stocks to 155.02 Pg (0–30 cm depth). These findings underscore the challenges of biome mapping for ecosystem accounting and policy, when lacking field-validated remotely sensed data.Fil: MacDougall, A. S.. University Of Guelph. Department Of Integrative Biology.; CanadáFil: Vanzant, B.. University Of Guelph. Department Of Integrative Biology.; CanadáFil: Sulik, J.. University Of Guelph. Department Of Integrative Biology.; CanadáFil: Bagchi, S.. Indian Institute of Science; IndiaFil: Naidu, D.. Indian Institute Of Science; IndiaFil: Muraina, T. O.. Oyo State College of Agriculture and Technology; Nigeria. Texas State University; Estados UnidosFil: Seabloom, Eric. University of Minnesota; Estados UnidosFil: Borer, Elizabeth. University of Minnesota; Estados UnidosFil: Wilfahrt, P.. University of Minnesota; Estados UnidosFil: Slette, I.. University of Minnesota; Estados UnidosFil: Hierro, Jose Luis. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa. Universidad Nacional de La Pampa. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa; ArgentinaFil: Pearson, D. E.. United States Department of Agriculture; Estados UnidosFil: Abedi, M.. Tarbiat Modares University; IránFil: Akasaka, M.. Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology; JapónFil: Alberti, Juan. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras; ArgentinaFil: Aleksanyan, A.. Institute of Botany aft. A.Takhtajyan NAS; ArmeniaFil: Amisu, A. A.. Federal University of Agriculture; NigeriaFil: Anderson, T. M.. Wake Forest University; Estados UnidosFil: Arnillas, C. A.. University of Toronto–Scarborough; CanadáFil: Ayer, M.. National Parks and Wildlife Conservation; NepalFil: Bakker, J. D.. University of Washington; Estados UnidosFil: Basant, S.. University of Nevada; Estados UnidosFil: Basto, S.. Pontificia Universidad Javeriana; ColombiaFil: Biederman, L.. Iowa State University; Estados UnidosFil: Bloodworth, K. J.. University of Maryland; Estados UnidosFil: Young, H. S.. University of California; Estados UnidosFil: Zeglin, L. H.. Kansas State University; Estados UnidosFil: Zhu, K.. University of Michigan; Estados UnidosFil: Zong, S.. Northeast Normal University; ChinaFil: Siewert, M. B.. Umeå University; SueciaNature2026-01info:eu-repo/semantics/articleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersionhttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501info:ar-repo/semantics/articuloapplication/pdfapplication/pdfapplication/pdfapplication/pdfapplication/pdfapplication/pdfapplication/pdfapplication/pdfhttp://hdl.handle.net/11336/287846MacDougall, A. S.; Vanzant, B.; Sulik, J.; Bagchi, S.; Naidu, D.; et al.; The global extent of the grassland biome and implications for the terrestrial carbon sink; Nature; Nature Ecology & Evolution; 10; 2; 1-2026; 246-2572397-334XCONICET DigitalCONICETenginfo:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/url/https://www.nature.com/articles/s41559-025-02955-6info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/doi/10.1038/s41559-025-02955-6info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccesshttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.5/ar/reponame:CONICET Digital (CONICET)instname:Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas2026-08-25T14:40:32Zoai:ri.conicet.gov.ar:11336/287846instacron:CONICETInstitucionalhttp://ri.conicet.gov.ar/Organismo científico-tecnológicoNo correspondehttp://ri.conicet.gov.ar/oai/requestdasensio@conicet.gov.ar; lcarlino@conicet.gov.arArgentinaNo correspondeNo correspondeNo correspondeopendoar:34982026-08-25 14:40:33.161CONICET Digital (CONICET) - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicasfalse
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv The global extent of the grassland biome and implications for the terrestrial carbon sink
title The global extent of the grassland biome and implications for the terrestrial carbon sink
spellingShingle The global extent of the grassland biome and implications for the terrestrial carbon sink
MacDougall, A. S.
CARBON
CONSERVATION
GRASSLANDS
TERRESTRIAL BIOMES
title_short The global extent of the grassland biome and implications for the terrestrial carbon sink
title_full The global extent of the grassland biome and implications for the terrestrial carbon sink
title_fullStr The global extent of the grassland biome and implications for the terrestrial carbon sink
title_full_unstemmed The global extent of the grassland biome and implications for the terrestrial carbon sink
title_sort The global extent of the grassland biome and implications for the terrestrial carbon sink
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv MacDougall, A. S.
Vanzant, B.
Sulik, J.
Bagchi, S.
Naidu, D.
Muraina, T. O.
Seabloom, Eric
Borer, Elizabeth
Wilfahrt, P.
Slette, I.
Hierro, Jose Luis
Pearson, D. E.
Abedi, M.
Akasaka, M.
Alberti, Juan
Aleksanyan, A.
Amisu, A. A.
Anderson, T. M.
Arnillas, C. A.
Ayer, M.
Bakker, J. D.
Basant, S.
Basto, S.
Biederman, L.
Bloodworth, K. J.
Young, H. S.
Zeglin, L. H.
Zhu, K.
Zong, S.
Siewert, M. B.
author MacDougall, A. S.
author_facet MacDougall, A. S.
Vanzant, B.
Sulik, J.
Bagchi, S.
Naidu, D.
Muraina, T. O.
Seabloom, Eric
Borer, Elizabeth
Wilfahrt, P.
Slette, I.
Hierro, Jose Luis
Pearson, D. E.
Abedi, M.
Akasaka, M.
Alberti, Juan
Aleksanyan, A.
Amisu, A. A.
Anderson, T. M.
Arnillas, C. A.
Ayer, M.
Bakker, J. D.
Basant, S.
Basto, S.
Biederman, L.
Bloodworth, K. J.
Young, H. S.
Zeglin, L. H.
Zhu, K.
Zong, S.
Siewert, M. B.
author_role author
author2 Vanzant, B.
Sulik, J.
Bagchi, S.
Naidu, D.
Muraina, T. O.
Seabloom, Eric
Borer, Elizabeth
Wilfahrt, P.
Slette, I.
Hierro, Jose Luis
Pearson, D. E.
Abedi, M.
Akasaka, M.
Alberti, Juan
Aleksanyan, A.
Amisu, A. A.
Anderson, T. M.
Arnillas, C. A.
Ayer, M.
Bakker, J. D.
Basant, S.
Basto, S.
Biederman, L.
Bloodworth, K. J.
Young, H. S.
Zeglin, L. H.
Zhu, K.
Zong, S.
Siewert, M. B.
author2_role author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv CARBON
CONSERVATION
GRASSLANDS
TERRESTRIAL BIOMES
topic CARBON
CONSERVATION
GRASSLANDS
TERRESTRIAL BIOMES
purl_subject.fl_str_mv https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1.6
https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1
dc.description.none.fl_txt_mv Land cover data are commonly used to model the terrestrial carbon (C)sink, yet these data have wide margins of error that significantly alter estimates of global C storage. Here we demonstrate this data vulnerabilityin grasslands, which are critical to C cycling but whose estimated distribution has varied by >50 million km2 (3.5–42% of the Earth’s terrestrial surface). Comparing multiple high-resolution land cover products with expertly annotated grassland data from six continents, we show sources of mapping error and discuss C implications based on 2023 United Nations (UN) FAO estimates. Past misidentification arose from inconsistent definitions on grassland identity and classification flaws especially relating to woodyplant cover. Correcting these errors adjusted grassland coverage to 22.8% of the terrestrial land base (30.1 million km2), elevating UN projections of soil C stocks to 155.02 Pg (0–30 cm depth). These findings underscore the challenges of biome mapping for ecosystem accounting and policy, when lacking field-validated remotely sensed data.
Fil: MacDougall, A. S.. University Of Guelph. Department Of Integrative Biology.; Canadá
Fil: Vanzant, B.. University Of Guelph. Department Of Integrative Biology.; Canadá
Fil: Sulik, J.. University Of Guelph. Department Of Integrative Biology.; Canadá
Fil: Bagchi, S.. Indian Institute of Science; India
Fil: Naidu, D.. Indian Institute Of Science; India
Fil: Muraina, T. O.. Oyo State College of Agriculture and Technology; Nigeria. Texas State University; Estados Unidos
Fil: Seabloom, Eric. University of Minnesota; Estados Unidos
Fil: Borer, Elizabeth. University of Minnesota; Estados Unidos
Fil: Wilfahrt, P.. University of Minnesota; Estados Unidos
Fil: Slette, I.. University of Minnesota; Estados Unidos
Fil: Hierro, Jose Luis. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa. Universidad Nacional de La Pampa. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa; Argentina
Fil: Pearson, D. E.. United States Department of Agriculture; Estados Unidos
Fil: Abedi, M.. Tarbiat Modares University; Irán
Fil: Akasaka, M.. Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology; Japón
Fil: Alberti, Juan. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras; Argentina
Fil: Aleksanyan, A.. Institute of Botany aft. A.Takhtajyan NAS; Armenia
Fil: Amisu, A. A.. Federal University of Agriculture; Nigeria
Fil: Anderson, T. M.. Wake Forest University; Estados Unidos
Fil: Arnillas, C. A.. University of Toronto–Scarborough; Canadá
Fil: Ayer, M.. National Parks and Wildlife Conservation; Nepal
Fil: Bakker, J. D.. University of Washington; Estados Unidos
Fil: Basant, S.. University of Nevada; Estados Unidos
Fil: Basto, S.. Pontificia Universidad Javeriana; Colombia
Fil: Biederman, L.. Iowa State University; Estados Unidos
Fil: Bloodworth, K. J.. University of Maryland; Estados Unidos
Fil: Young, H. S.. University of California; Estados Unidos
Fil: Zeglin, L. H.. Kansas State University; Estados Unidos
Fil: Zhu, K.. University of Michigan; Estados Unidos
Fil: Zong, S.. Northeast Normal University; China
Fil: Siewert, M. B.. Umeå University; Suecia
description Land cover data are commonly used to model the terrestrial carbon (C)sink, yet these data have wide margins of error that significantly alter estimates of global C storage. Here we demonstrate this data vulnerabilityin grasslands, which are critical to C cycling but whose estimated distribution has varied by >50 million km2 (3.5–42% of the Earth’s terrestrial surface). Comparing multiple high-resolution land cover products with expertly annotated grassland data from six continents, we show sources of mapping error and discuss C implications based on 2023 United Nations (UN) FAO estimates. Past misidentification arose from inconsistent definitions on grassland identity and classification flaws especially relating to woodyplant cover. Correcting these errors adjusted grassland coverage to 22.8% of the terrestrial land base (30.1 million km2), elevating UN projections of soil C stocks to 155.02 Pg (0–30 cm depth). These findings underscore the challenges of biome mapping for ecosystem accounting and policy, when lacking field-validated remotely sensed data.
publishDate 2026
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2026-01
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
http://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501
info:ar-repo/semantics/articulo
format article
status_str publishedVersion
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv http://hdl.handle.net/11336/287846
MacDougall, A. S.; Vanzant, B.; Sulik, J.; Bagchi, S.; Naidu, D.; et al.; The global extent of the grassland biome and implications for the terrestrial carbon sink; Nature; Nature Ecology & Evolution; 10; 2; 1-2026; 246-257
2397-334X
CONICET Digital
CONICET
url http://hdl.handle.net/11336/287846
identifier_str_mv MacDougall, A. S.; Vanzant, B.; Sulik, J.; Bagchi, S.; Naidu, D.; et al.; The global extent of the grassland biome and implications for the terrestrial carbon sink; Nature; Nature Ecology & Evolution; 10; 2; 1-2026; 246-257
2397-334X
CONICET Digital
CONICET
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv eng
language eng
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info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/doi/10.1038/s41559-025-02955-6
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.5/ar/
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
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dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv Nature
publisher.none.fl_str_mv Nature
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