Ecological, nutritional, and socio-economic impacts of regenerative grazing systems. A review

Le résumé fourni par la source

Soil degradation, biodiversity loss, and reduced grassland resilience are urgent problems for sustainable land management worldwide. Regenerative grazing aims to restore ecosystems by using adaptive grazing practices that allow longer recovery times and improve interactions among soil, plants, and animals. This review synthesizes peer-reviewed literature identified through systematic PRISMA 2020-based searches in Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar from 1980 to 2025. Studies were screened first by title and abstract, followed by full-text evaluation across major thematic domains, including soil quality and pollution, soil fauna, vegetation dynamics, pollinators, product quality, phytonutrients, and stakeholder perceptions. A total of 125 systematically screened studies were included in the thematic synthesis, supplemented by additional contextual references. The strongest evidence supports the positive effects of regenerative grazing on soil properties, including increased soil organic carbon content. Moderately supported evidence suggests benefits for earthworm communities and the fatty acid composition of animal products. In contrast, evidence for vegetation responses, pollinators, soil fauna other than earthworms, and socio-economic outcomes remains limited, inconsistent, or strongly context-dependent. Consumer awareness of regenerative systems remains low, although attitudes toward pasture-based production are generally positive. Methodological variability, inconsistent terminology, short study durations, and regional bias limit the generalizability of current findings. While regenerative grazing shows considerable potential to improve soil health and selected aspects of product quality, outcomes vary substantially among ecosystems and management contexts. Future research should prioritize standardized, long-term, multi-site studies that use clearly defined regenerative grazing criteria and integrate ecological, nutritional, and socio-economic indicators. Registered through OSF Registries (osf.io/gze78).

Ce résumé expose les affirmations des auteurs. BNTIC ne l’interprète pas comme une validation indépendante des résultats.