Livestock grazing increases soil carbon storage in Icelandic subarctic grasslands

A recent investigation published in Global Change Biology Communications challenges the prevailing assumption that excluding grazers from grasslands enhances carbon sequestration. The study demonstrates that grazing animals actually promote the transfer of plant‑derived carbon into the soil, where the majority of it becomes stored underground, thereby contributing to climate‑change mitigation.

Researchers measured carbon fluxes in grazed and ungrazed grassland plots, tracking the movement of carbon from plant roots into the soil matrix. Results showed that the presence of grazers increased root turnover and stimulated microbial activity, leading to higher rates of carbon incorporation into stable soil pools. The findings suggest that maintaining healthy grazing regimes could be a more effective strategy for boosting soil carbon storage than previously recognized, offering a nuanced perspective on land‑management practices aimed at reducing atmospheric CO₂ levels.