Livestock grazing mediates Nature's Contributions to People in dryland socio-ecological production landscapes: insights from the Monte Desert, Argentina

Livestock grazing is a widespread land-use practice in drylands and plays a key role in shaping socio-ecological production landscapes and seascapes (SEPLS). This study explores how livestock grazing mediates Nature's Contributions to People (NCPs) and shapes human-nature interactions in the zone of influence of protected areas in the Monte Desert of Argentina. We adopted a qualitative research approach based on semi-structured interviews with local livestock producers and participatory workshops with park rangers, complemented by insights from scientists working in the region. The analysis was guided by the NCP framework to identify perceived contributions to people, effects on nature, and underlying drivers associated with livestock grazing. Our results show that livestock grazing mediates multiple NCPs, including material contributions such as food production, regulating processes related to vegetation dynamics and seed dispersal, and non-material contributions linked to local knowledge, cultural practices, and rural identity. However, these contributions are interpreted differently by social actors. Livestock producers emphasize the role of pastoralism in sustaining livelihoods and cultural continuity, whereas park rangers and scientists tend to highlight ecological impacts and potential risks to biodiversity conservation. Participants also identified several drivers shaping livestock systems and their interactions with ecosystems, including climate variability, declining precipitation, conservation policies restricting livestock access to protected areas, livestock predation by native carnivores, and the growing presence of roads and vehicle traffic. These findings highlight that livestock grazing in dryland SEPLS simultaneously generates benefits, risks, and management tensions in conservation landscapes where pastoral practices and protected area policies intersect.