Dhaka, Oct. 21 -- A landmark international study led by Chinese scientists has found that as droughts grow longer and more severe, grasslands across the world face a growing risk of collapse rather than adaptation.

The research, conducted by a team from Beijing Forestry University in collaboration with scientists from more than 120 institutions across 28 countries, provides the first global evidence that prolonged and intensified droughts sharply reduce grassland productivity. The findings were published this week in the journal Science.

The team monitored plant growth across 74 grassland and shrubland ecosystems spanning six continents to assess how they respond to varying drought conditions.

Results showed that after four consecutive...