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

A. S. MacDougall; B. Vanzant; J. Sulik; S. Bagchi; D. Naidu; T. O. Muraina; E. W. Seabloom; E. T. Borer; P. Wilfahrt; I. Slette; J. L. Hierro; D. E. Pearson; M. Abedi; M. Akasaka; J. Alberti; A. Aleksanyan; A. A. Amisu; T. M. Anderson; C. A. Arnillas; M. Ayer; J. D. Bakker; S. Basant; S. Basto; L. Biederman; K. J. Bloodworth; F. Boscutti; E. H. Boughton; C. M. Bruschetti; H. L. Buckley; Y. M. Buckley; M. N. Bugalho; M. C. Caldeira; G. Campetella; N. Cannone; M. Carbognani; C. Carbutt; M. A. Carniello; M. Cervellini; T. Chaudhary; Q. Chen; A. T. Clark; S. Cousins; M. Dalle Fratte; N. J. Day; B. Deák; J. Dietrich; A. Dixon; N. Eisenhauer; K. J. Elgersma; O. Eren; A. Eskelinen; C. Estrada; P. A. Fay; G. Fayvush; K. C. Flynn; D. García Meza; D. Gargano; L. Gherardi; N. T. Girkin; L. González; P. Graff; L. W.C. Hagenberg; A. H. Halbritter; N. A. Havrilchak; N. Herdoiza; E. Hersch-Green; K. Hopping; A. Jentsch; S. O. Jimoh; J. Kerby; K. Kirkman; J. M.H. Knops; S. E. Koerner; A. Koltz; K. J. Komatsu; B. I. Koura; S. Kruse; L. Laanisto; L. S. Lannes; W. Li; M. Liang; A. Lkhagva; L. López-Olmedo; P. Lorenzo; C. J. Lortie; A. Loydi; W. Luo; P. Macek; F. Malfasi; P. Mariotte; J. P. Martina; A. Martínez-Blancas; H. Martinson; C. Martorell; J. A. Meave; S. Medina-Villar; K. Z. Mganga; J. Monsimet; A. N. Nerlekar; S. Niu; T. Ohlert; I. Oliveras Menor; G. R. Oñatibia; Y. K. Ortega; B. Osborne; S. Palpurina; J. Pascual; S. C. Pennings; E. Pérez-García; P. L. Peri; M. Petit Bon; A. Petraglia; F. Pijcke; S. M. Prober; R. E. Quiroga; J. I. Ramirez; S. Reed; B. H.P. Rosado; C. Roscher; D. W. Rowley; I. Sereda; D. M. Small; N. G. Smith; Y. Song; C. Stevens; L. E. Suarez Jimenez; M. te Beest; M. Tedder; R. S. Terry; K. S. Thornton; D. Tian; G. Titcomb; O. Valkó; G.F. Veen; R. Virtanen; E. A.R. Welti; G. R. Wheeler; A. A. Wolf; P. Wolff; A. L. Young; H. S. Young; L. H. Zeglin; K. Zhu; S. Zong; M. B. Siewert

doi:10.1038/s41559-025-02955-6

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

A. S. MacDougall^*
, B. Vanzant
, J. Sulik
, S. Bagchi
, D. Naidu
, T. O. Muraina
, E. W. Seabloom
, E. T. Borer
, P. Wilfahrt
, I. Slette
, J. L. Hierro
, D. E. Pearson
, M. Abedi
, M. Akasaka
, J. Alberti
, A. Aleksanyan
, A. A. Amisu
, T. M. Anderson
, C. A. Arnillas
, M. Ayer

J. D. Bakker, S. Basant, S. Basto, L. Biederman, K. J. Bloodworth, F. Boscutti, E. H. Boughton, C. M. Bruschetti, H. L. Buckley, Y. M. Buckley, M. N. Bugalho, M. C. Caldeira, G. Campetella, N. Cannone, M. Carbognani, C. Carbutt, M. A. Carniello, M. Cervellini, T. Chaudhary, Q. Chen, A. T. Clark, S. Cousins, M. Dalle Fratte, N. J. Day, B. Deák, J. Dietrich, A. Dixon, N. Eisenhauer, K. J. Elgersma, O. Eren, A. Eskelinen, C. Estrada, P. A. Fay, G. Fayvush, K. C. Flynn, D. García Meza, D. Gargano, L. Gherardi, N. T. Girkin, L. González, P. Graff, L. W.C. Hagenberg, A. H. Halbritter, N. A. Havrilchak, N. Herdoiza, E. Hersch-Green, K. Hopping, A. Jentsch, S. O. Jimoh, J. Kerby, K. Kirkman, J. M.H. Knops, S. E. Koerner, A. Koltz, K. J. Komatsu, B. I. Koura, S. Kruse, L. Laanisto, L. S. Lannes, W. Li, M. Liang, A. Lkhagva, L. López-Olmedo, P. Lorenzo, C. J. Lortie, A. Loydi, W. Luo, P. Macek, F. Malfasi, P. Mariotte, J. P. Martina, A. Martínez-Blancas, H. Martinson, C. Martorell, J. A. Meave, S. Medina-Villar, K. Z. Mganga, J. Monsimet, A. N. Nerlekar, S. Niu, T. Ohlert, I. Oliveras Menor, G. R. Oñatibia, Y. K. Ortega, B. Osborne, S. Palpurina, J. Pascual, S. C. Pennings, E. Pérez-García, P. L. Peri, M. Petit Bon, A. Petraglia, F. Pijcke, S. M. Prober, R. E. Quiroga, J. I. Ramirez, S. Reed, B. H.P. Rosado, C. Roscher, D. W. Rowley, I. Sereda, D. M. Small, N. G. Smith, Y. Song, C. Stevens, L. E. Suarez Jimenez, M. te Beest, M. Tedder, R. S. Terry, K. S. Thornton, D. Tian, G. Titcomb, O. Valkó, G.F. Veen, R. Virtanen, E. A.R. Welti, G. R. Wheeler, A. A. Wolf, P. Wolff, A. L. Young, H. S. Young, L. H. Zeglin, K. Zhu, S. Zong, M. B. Siewert^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal/periodical › Article › Scientific › peer-review

Abstract

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 vulnerability in 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 woody plant 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.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	246-257
Number of pages	12
Journal	Nature Ecology and Evolution
Volume	10
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-025-02955-6
Publication status	Published - 27 Jan 2026

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10.1038/s41559-025-02955-6

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MacDougall, A. S., Vanzant, B., Sulik, J., Bagchi, S., Naidu, D., Muraina, T. O., Seabloom, E. W., Borer, E. T., Wilfahrt, P., Slette, I., Hierro, J. L., Pearson, D. E., Abedi, M., Akasaka, M., Alberti, J., Aleksanyan, A., Amisu, A. A., Anderson, T. M., Arnillas, C. A., ... Siewert, M. B. (2026). The global extent of the grassland biome and implications for the terrestrial carbon sink. Nature Ecology and Evolution, 10(2), 246-257. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-025-02955-6

@article{a9b33b296c11439d9d410ec35e94187c,

title = "The global extent of the grassland biome and implications for the terrestrial carbon sink",

abstract = "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 vulnerability in grasslands, which are critical to C cycling but whose estimated distribution has varied by >50 million km2 (3.5–42\% of the Earth{\textquoteright}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 woody plant 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.",

author = "MacDougall, \{A. S.\} and B. Vanzant and J. Sulik and S. Bagchi and D. Naidu and Muraina, \{T. O.\} and Seabloom, \{E. W.\} and Borer, \{E. T.\} and P. Wilfahrt and I. Slette and Hierro, \{J. L.\} and Pearson, \{D. E.\} and M. Abedi and M. Akasaka and J. Alberti and A. Aleksanyan and Amisu, \{A. A.\} and Anderson, \{T. M.\} and Arnillas, \{C. A.\} and M. Ayer and Bakker, \{J. D.\} and S. Basant and S. Basto and L. Biederman and Bloodworth, \{K. J.\} and F. Boscutti and Boughton, \{E. H.\} and Bruschetti, \{C. M.\} and Buckley, \{H. L.\} and Buckley, \{Y. M.\} and Bugalho, \{M. N.\} and Caldeira, \{M. C.\} and G. Campetella and N. Cannone and M. Carbognani and C. Carbutt and Carniello, \{M. A.\} and M. Cervellini and T. Chaudhary and Q. Chen and Clark, \{A. T.\} and S. Cousins and \{Dalle Fratte\}, M. and Day, \{N. J.\} and B. De{\'a}k and J. Dietrich and A. Dixon and N. Eisenhauer and Elgersma, \{K. J.\} and O. Eren and A. Eskelinen and C. Estrada and Fay, \{P. A.\} and G. Fayvush and Flynn, \{K. C.\} and \{Garc{\'i}a Meza\}, D. and D. Gargano and L. Gherardi and Girkin, \{N. T.\} and L. Gonz{\'a}lez and P. Graff and Hagenberg, \{L. W.C.\} and Halbritter, \{A. H.\} and Havrilchak, \{N. A.\} and N. Herdoiza and E. Hersch-Green and K. Hopping and A. Jentsch and Jimoh, \{S. O.\} and J. Kerby and K. Kirkman and Knops, \{J. M.H.\} and Koerner, \{S. E.\} and A. Koltz and Komatsu, \{K. J.\} and Koura, \{B. I.\} and S. Kruse and L. Laanisto and Lannes, \{L. S.\} and W. Li and M. Liang and A. Lkhagva and L. L{\'o}pez-Olmedo and P. Lorenzo and Lortie, \{C. J.\} and A. Loydi and W. Luo and P. Macek and F. Malfasi and P. Mariotte and Martina, \{J. P.\} and A. Mart{\'i}nez-Blancas and H. Martinson and C. Martorell and Meave, \{J. A.\} and S. Medina-Villar and Mganga, \{K. Z.\} and J. Monsimet and Nerlekar, \{A. N.\} and S. Niu and T. Ohlert and \{Oliveras Menor\}, I. and O{\~n}atibia, \{G. R.\} and Ortega, \{Y. K.\} and B. Osborne and S. Palpurina and J. Pascual and Pennings, \{S. C.\} and E. P{\'e}rez-Garc{\'i}a and Peri, \{P. L.\} and \{Petit Bon\}, M. and A. Petraglia and F. Pijcke and Prober, \{S. M.\} and Quiroga, \{R. E.\} and Ramirez, \{J. I.\} and S. Reed and Rosado, \{B. H.P.\} and C. Roscher and Rowley, \{D. W.\} and I. Sereda and Small, \{D. M.\} and Smith, \{N. G.\} and Y. Song and C. Stevens and \{Suarez Jimenez\}, \{L. E.\} and \{te Beest\}, M. and M. Tedder and Terry, \{R. S.\} and Thornton, \{K. S.\} and D. Tian and G. Titcomb and O. Valk{\'o} and G.F. Veen and R. Virtanen and Welti, \{E. A.R.\} and Wheeler, \{G. R.\} and Wolf, \{A. A.\} and P. Wolff and Young, \{A. L.\} and Young, \{H. S.\} and Zeglin, \{L. H.\} and K. Zhu and S. Zong and Siewert, \{M. B.\}",

note = "Data archiving: no NIOO data",

year = "2026",

month = jan,

day = "27",

doi = "10.1038/s41559-025-02955-6",

language = "English",

volume = "10",

pages = "246--257",

journal = "Nature Ecology and Evolution",

issn = "2397-334X",

publisher = "Springer Science+Business Media",

number = "2",

}

MacDougall, AS, Vanzant, B, Sulik, J, Bagchi, S, Naidu, D, Muraina, TO, Seabloom, EW, Borer, ET, Wilfahrt, P, Slette, I, Hierro, JL, Pearson, DE, Abedi, M, Akasaka, M, Alberti, J, Aleksanyan, A, Amisu, AA, Anderson, TM, Arnillas, CA, Ayer, M, Bakker, JD, Basant, S, Basto, S, Biederman, L, Bloodworth, KJ, Boscutti, F, Boughton, EH, Bruschetti, CM, Buckley, HL, Buckley, YM, Bugalho, MN, Caldeira, MC, Campetella, G, Cannone, N, Carbognani, M, Carbutt, C, Carniello, MA, Cervellini, M, Chaudhary, T, Chen, Q, Clark, AT, Cousins, S, Dalle Fratte, M, Day, NJ, Deák, B, Dietrich, J, Dixon, A, Eisenhauer, N, Elgersma, KJ, Eren, O, Eskelinen, A, Estrada, C, Fay, PA, Fayvush, G, Flynn, KC, García Meza, D, Gargano, D, Gherardi, L, Girkin, NT, González, L, Graff, P, Hagenberg, LWC, Halbritter, AH, Havrilchak, NA, Herdoiza, N, Hersch-Green, E, Hopping, K, Jentsch, A, Jimoh, SO, Kerby, J, Kirkman, K, Knops, JMH, Koerner, SE, Koltz, A, Komatsu, KJ, Koura, BI, Kruse, S, Laanisto, L, Lannes, LS, Li, W, Liang, M, Lkhagva, A, López-Olmedo, L, Lorenzo, P, Lortie, CJ, Loydi, A, Luo, W, Macek, P, Malfasi, F, Mariotte, P, Martina, JP, Martínez-Blancas, A, Martinson, H, Martorell, C, Meave, JA, Medina-Villar, S, Mganga, KZ, Monsimet, J, Nerlekar, AN, Niu, S, Ohlert, T, Oliveras Menor, I, Oñatibia, GR, Ortega, YK, Osborne, B, Palpurina, S, Pascual, J, Pennings, SC, Pérez-García, E, Peri, PL, Petit Bon, M, Petraglia, A, Pijcke, F, Prober, SM, Quiroga, RE, Ramirez, JI, Reed, S, Rosado, BHP, Roscher, C, Rowley, DW, Sereda, I, Small, DM, Smith, NG, Song, Y, Stevens, C, Suarez Jimenez, LE, te Beest, M, Tedder, M, Terry, RS, Thornton, KS, Tian, D, Titcomb, G, Valkó, O, Veen, GF, Virtanen, R, Welti, EAR, Wheeler, GR, Wolf, AA, Wolff, P, Young, AL, Young, HS, Zeglin, LH, Zhu, K, Zong, S & Siewert, MB 2026, 'The global extent of the grassland biome and implications for the terrestrial carbon sink', Nature Ecology and Evolution, vol. 10, no. 2, pp. 246-257. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-025-02955-6

TY - JOUR

T1 - The global extent of the grassland biome and implications for the terrestrial carbon sink

AU - MacDougall, A. S.

AU - Vanzant, B.

AU - Sulik, J.

AU - Bagchi, S.

AU - Naidu, D.

AU - Muraina, T. O.

AU - Seabloom, E. W.

AU - Borer, E. T.

AU - Wilfahrt, P.

AU - Slette, I.

AU - Hierro, J. L.

AU - Pearson, D. E.

AU - Abedi, M.

AU - Akasaka, M.

AU - Alberti, J.

AU - Aleksanyan, A.

AU - Amisu, A. A.

AU - Anderson, T. M.

AU - Arnillas, C. A.

AU - Ayer, M.

AU - Bakker, J. D.

AU - Basant, S.

AU - Basto, S.

AU - Biederman, L.

AU - Bloodworth, K. J.

AU - Boscutti, F.

AU - Boughton, E. H.

AU - Bruschetti, C. M.

AU - Buckley, H. L.

AU - Buckley, Y. M.

AU - Bugalho, M. N.

AU - Caldeira, M. C.

AU - Campetella, G.

AU - Cannone, N.

AU - Carbognani, M.

AU - Carbutt, C.

AU - Carniello, M. A.

AU - Cervellini, M.

AU - Chaudhary, T.

AU - Chen, Q.

AU - Clark, A. T.

AU - Cousins, S.

AU - Dalle Fratte, M.

AU - Day, N. J.

AU - Deák, B.

AU - Dietrich, J.

AU - Dixon, A.

AU - Eisenhauer, N.

AU - Elgersma, K. J.

AU - Eren, O.

AU - Eskelinen, A.

AU - Estrada, C.

AU - Fay, P. A.

AU - Fayvush, G.

AU - Flynn, K. C.

AU - García Meza, D.

AU - Gargano, D.

AU - Gherardi, L.

AU - Girkin, N. T.

AU - González, L.

AU - Graff, P.

AU - Hagenberg, L. W.C.

AU - Halbritter, A. H.

AU - Havrilchak, N. A.

AU - Herdoiza, N.

AU - Hersch-Green, E.

AU - Hopping, K.

AU - Jentsch, A.

AU - Jimoh, S. O.

AU - Kerby, J.

AU - Kirkman, K.

AU - Knops, J. M.H.

AU - Koerner, S. E.

AU - Koltz, A.

AU - Komatsu, K. J.

AU - Koura, B. I.

AU - Kruse, S.

AU - Laanisto, L.

AU - Lannes, L. S.

AU - Li, W.

AU - Liang, M.

AU - Lkhagva, A.

AU - López-Olmedo, L.

AU - Lorenzo, P.

AU - Lortie, C. J.

AU - Loydi, A.

AU - Luo, W.

AU - Macek, P.

AU - Malfasi, F.

AU - Mariotte, P.

AU - Martina, J. P.

AU - Martínez-Blancas, A.

AU - Martinson, H.

AU - Martorell, C.

AU - Meave, J. A.

AU - Medina-Villar, S.

AU - Mganga, K. Z.

AU - Monsimet, J.

AU - Nerlekar, A. N.

AU - Niu, S.

AU - Ohlert, T.

AU - Oliveras Menor, I.

AU - Oñatibia, G. R.

AU - Ortega, Y. K.

AU - Osborne, B.

AU - Palpurina, S.

AU - Pascual, J.

AU - Pennings, S. C.

AU - Pérez-García, E.

AU - Peri, P. L.

AU - Petit Bon, M.

AU - Petraglia, A.

AU - Pijcke, F.

AU - Prober, S. M.

AU - Quiroga, R. E.

AU - Ramirez, J. I.

AU - Reed, S.

AU - Rosado, B. H.P.

AU - Roscher, C.

AU - Rowley, D. W.

AU - Sereda, I.

AU - Small, D. M.

AU - Smith, N. G.

AU - Song, Y.

AU - Stevens, C.

AU - Suarez Jimenez, L. E.

AU - te Beest, M.

AU - Tedder, M.

AU - Terry, R. S.

AU - Thornton, K. S.

AU - Tian, D.

AU - Titcomb, G.

AU - Valkó, O.

AU - Veen, G.F.

AU - Virtanen, R.

AU - Welti, E. A.R.

AU - Wheeler, G. R.

AU - Wolf, A. A.

AU - Wolff, P.

AU - Young, A. L.

AU - Young, H. S.

AU - Zeglin, L. H.

AU - Zhu, K.

AU - Zong, S.

AU - Siewert, M. B.

N1 - Data archiving: no NIOO data

PY - 2026/1/27

Y1 - 2026/1/27

N2 - 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 vulnerability in 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 woody plant 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.

AB - 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 vulnerability in 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 woody plant 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.

U2 - 10.1038/s41559-025-02955-6

DO - 10.1038/s41559-025-02955-6

M3 - Article

C2 - 41593186

AN - SCOPUS:105029912577

SN - 2397-334X

VL - 10

SP - 246

EP - 257

JO - Nature Ecology and Evolution

JF - Nature Ecology and Evolution

IS - 2

ER -

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

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