Laura Goodman and Ryan Reuter | Oklahoma State University, Natural Resources Ecology and Management and Animal Science Departments
Many of the lands used for grazing beef cattle are rangelands or pastureland. These lands are characterized by limited use for cultivation due to shallow, fragile, or rocky soils, steep terrain, and/or low rainfall. Rangelands are the predominant land type across the world, making up 70% of the earth’s land area. Meat from livestock grazing rangelands is an important product these ecosystems provide.4
The process of grazing also provides services like developing wildlife habitat by increasing plant species diversity and creating variation in plant structure as cattle select certain plants to eat over others5 which is important for supporting a wide variety of wildlife species.
Lastly, beef cattle production in the United States promotes rural communities and provides a cultural service as the backdrop of our historical heritage as witnessed by many of our American songs and, stories.
Table 1. Examples of the goods and services from ecosystems by category.1,2
Ecosystem service category |
Example of ecosystem services within category |
Provisioning |
Food; Freshwater; Fiber; Fuelwood |
Supporting |
Cycling of nutrients; Soil building, preservation, and fertility renewal; Photosynthesis |
Regulating |
Regulation of disease carrying organisms; Climate stability; Moderation of weather extremes; Agricultural pest control; Air and water purification; Pollination of natural vegetation and crops; Decomposition and detoxification of wastes |
Cultural |
Support of spiritual and cultural heritage; Educational, aesthetic and recreational opportunities |
Bottom Line: Beef cattle production, including the proper management of grazing lands associated with it, is an important source of diverse ecosystem services to humans. In turn, beef production also benefits from ecosystem services.
Figure 1. Examples of ecosystem services important to the beef industry and the beef industry’s contribution to ecosystem services. Photo courtesy of U.S. Department of Agriculture.