Pilot analysis of global ecosystems: Grassland ecosystems

This report provides a pilot analysis of global grassland ecosystems, evaluating their condition based on the capacity to provide essential goods and services. While current goods and services are rated as good to fair, the report warns of a decline in the overall capacity of these ecosystems to sustain human, plant, and animal life due to degradation, urbanization, and biodiversity loss.

• Global grassland ecosystems have experienced declines in extent and condition, particularly in North America and Europe's temperate zones where cultivation and urbanization have occurred. While the major goods and services provided are currently in good to fair condition, the capacity for these ecosystems to continue providing them is decreasing.
• Soil and biodiversity indicators show significant degradation: over half of the studied grasslands exhibit some soil degradation, with more than 5 percent being strongly to extremely degraded. Additionally, there are marked declines in grassland birds in North America, attributed to non-native species and fragmentation.
• Carbon storage potential in grasslands is high, but actual storage is reduced in degraded areas and by heavy burning, specifically in African savannas. Regarding tourism and recreation, while revenues are generally increasing and providing economic contributions, the capacity to sustain these services is threatened by wildlife population declines and the overuse of certain areas.

APA

World Resources Institute (n.d.). Pilot analysis of global ecosystems: Grassland ecosystems. https://www.wri.org/research/pilot-analysis-global-ecosystems-grassland-ecosystems

Chicago

World Resources Institute. Pilot analysis of global ecosystems: Grassland ecosystems. n.d. https://www.wri.org/research/pilot-analysis-global-ecosystems-grassland-ecosystems.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Resources Institute |title=Pilot analysis of global ecosystems: Grassland ecosystems |url=https://www.wri.org/research/pilot-analysis-global-ecosystems-grassland-ecosystems |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldresourcesinstitutendpilot, author = {{World Resources Institute}}, title = {{Pilot analysis of global ecosystems: Grassland ecosystems}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, url = {https://www.wri.org/research/pilot-analysis-global-ecosystems-grassland-ecosystems}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }