Structural inequities shape biodiversity and climate mitigation outcomes in livestock systems

Structural inequities shape biodiversity and climate mitigation outcomes in livestock systems | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Biological Sciences - Article Structural inequities shape biodiversity and climate mitigation outcomes in livestock systems Matthew Harrison, Ganesh Bhattarai, Karen Christie-Whitehead, and 22 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8645442/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Agricultural mitigation strategies are increasingly promoted to address climate and biodiversity goals, yet their effectiveness, equity, and durability remain poorly resolved. Here, we co-designed 50 greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation interventions through transdisciplinary participatory action research with livestock producers across Australia. Mitigation feasibility was structurally inequitable: extensive rangelands faced logistical and financial constraints that rendered anti-methanogenic additives impractical and limited pasture renovation, with legislation further constraining viable options. A pronounced asymmetry in economic valuation—ecosystem services valued 13 to 1,600 times higher per unit mass than food commodities—systematically favours production over mitigation. Multidimensional co-benefits emerged when extant deficiencies were remedied; for example, alleviating extreme wildlife browsing increased soil organic carbon, livestock production and profit. Apparent mitigation outcomes depended on metric choice, absolute versus relative framing, and climate accounting applied, with methane-focused interventions performing more favorably under warming-rate metric for short-lived climate pollutants (GWP*). Tree-based sequestration delivered early carbon gains but delayed biodiversity responses, whereas animal management produced immediate and persistent mitigation. Permanent abatement of methane and nitrous oxide contrasted with the reversibility of soil and vegetation carbon, underscoring the necessity of durability-based pricing. Together, these findings argue for differentiated incentives, multiple complementary metrics, targeted rangeland support, and higher ecosystem-service payments to scale equitable, diagnosis-led gains across climate, biodiversity, and food-security outcomes. Scientific community and society/Agriculture Earth and environmental sciences/Climate sciences/Climate change/Climate-change mitigation Earth and environmental sciences/Environmental sciences/Environmental impact Biological sciences/Ecology/Biodiversity Biodiversity co-benefits Inequality people-centric design Sustainable Development Goals Ecosystem services Just transition Nature-based solution Durability Full Text Additional Declarations There is NO Competing Interest. Supplementary Files Bhattaraietal2026SupplementaryRESULTSsubmitted20Jan2026.docx Supplementary results Bhattaraietal2025Supplementarymethodssubmitted20Jan2026.docx Supplementary methods Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-8645442","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Biological Sciences - Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":577238055,"identity":"e8a5c859-5873-4c52-9d14-3c762589573e","order_by":0,"name":"Matthew 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