A global inventory of animal biodiversity measured in different grazing treatments

Rangelands occupy more than half of terrestrial land cover and much of these lands are used for domestic grazing. Patterns of domestic grazing have been shifting recently, becoming more common in areas such as Brazil, Mexico, and South-East Asia. These are also correspond with some of biodiversity hotspots of the world. The effects of domestic grazing on biodiversity can be complex. Moreover, there is a important component of food security to be considered with changing grazing patterns. While there has been recent work quantifying the effects of domestic grazing on carbon emissions and plant composition, there has yet to be a detailed synthesis of grazing effects on animal diversity. Using a systematic review of the literature, we generated a database inventorying animal biodiversity in lands with domestic grazing, wild grazers, and without grazing. Information provided includes species-specific responses to grazing, measurements of grazing intensity (e.g., animals per hectare, biomass removed), grazer species, and geospatial coordinates. Our hopes is that this database could be used for sustainable grazing practices.