A CURRENT GLOBAL CHALLENGE IS TO FOSTER SUSTAINABLE AND LONG-TERM RESILIENT AGROECOSYSTEMS IN THE CONTEXT OF INCREASING CLIMATE VARIABILITY. THIS PROJECT WILL ADDRESS TWO FOUNDATIONAL RESEARCH QUESTIONS: (1) GIVEN PROJECTED SHIFTING RAINFALL VARIABILITY, HOW WILL ALTERNATIVE GRAZING INTENSITY AND LAND MANAGEMENT INTERACT TO AFFECT MULTIFUNCTIONALITY OF SUBTROPICAL GRASSLANDS? (2) CAN DELIBERATE MANIPULATION OF GRAZING INTENSITY SERVE AS AN ADAPTATION STRATEGY TO ENHANCE CLIMATE RESILIENCE OF GRASSLANDS USED FOR BEEF CATTLE PRODUCTION?WE PROPOSE A 3-YEAR RANDOMIZED BLOCK DESIGN EXPERIMENT TO UNDERSTAND INTERACTION OF GRAZING INTENSITY (LOW, MEDIUM, AND HIGH) AND LAND MANAGEMENT (IMPROVED VS. SEMI-NATIVE PASTURES) UNDER ALTERNATIVE PRECIPITATION SCENARIOS (INCREASED QUANTITY, DECREASED QUANTITY, ENHANCED SEASONALITY, DIMINISHED SEASONALITY). THIS PROJECT WILL BE CONDUCTED IN ARCHBOLD USDA LONG-TERM AGROECOSYSTEM RESEARCH SITE IN FLORIDA, WHICH IS REPRESENTATIVE OF SUBTROPICAL HUMID GRASSLANDS. THE PROPOSED WORK WILL UTILIZE A MULTIFUNCTIONAL APPROACH AND FOCUS ON ABOVE- AND BELOW-GROUND ECOSYSTEM FUNCTIONING AND SERVICES, INCLUDING FORAGE PRODUCTIVITY AND QUALITY, PLANT DIVERSITY AND OTHER REGULATING SERVICES. THIS APPROACH WILL BE VALUABLE FOR MINIMIZING TRADEOFFS AND ACHIEVING MULTIFUNCTIONAL AGROECOSYSTEMS IN THE CONTEXT OF SHIFTING RAINFALL VARIABILITY.KNOWLEDGE GAINED FROM THIS PROJECT WILL PROVIDE VITAL INFORMATION FOR RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY OF SUBTROPICAL GRASSLANDS. RESULTS WILL BE: (1) INCORPORATED INTO A WEB-BASED TOOL TO GUIDE CLIMATE ADAPTATIONS AND INFORM INNOVATIVE BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES; (2) PRESENTED TO STAKEHOLDERS SUCH AS RANCH MANAGERS AND AGENCIES THAT WORK WITH AGRICULTURAL PRODUCERS; (3) DISSEMINATED THROUGH A RANGE OF EXTENSION AND EDUCATION ACTIVITIES AND PRODUCTS. THIS PROPOSAL ADDRESSES FOUNDATIONAL KNOWLEDGE OF AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION SYSTEM (A1102).