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Striking networks of livestock tracks, or terracettes, molded to the contours are a common feature on hilly rangelands of the semi-arid Loess Plateau that is one of the regions with the most severe soil erosion in the world. The formation of livestock tracks results in modified micro-topography and strong patterns in spatial distribution of vegetation and soil physical properties, water and nutrients, which may have significant implications to the hydrological and biogeochemical processes. We investigated the spatial pattern of the topo-edaphic, hydrological, biogeochemical, and biological attributes of these terracette landscapes and explored their potential implications to ecosystem functions. The results showed strong spatial heterogeneity in topo-edaphic and biological structure of these landscapes organized with three segments of a basic landscape unit - track, shoulder and inter-slope. The above- and below-ground biomass and soil nutrients concentrated in the shoulder segment forming a "band of fertility". The network of livestock tracks likely reduced runoff and surface erosion by intercepting runoff and facilitate infiltration while posing little risk of increasing shallow slope failures given the structure of Loess soil. There is likely a positive feedback loop for maintaining the structure of terracette landscapes - trampling by goats maintains the tracks which lead to spatial heterogeneity in biophysical structure and processes; the network of tracks enabled the goats to travel and graze in ways that reduce energy expenditure and increase foraging efficiency, which leads to strongly preferential use of the tracks by the goats. Functional differences in regulating water runoff and soil erosion, forage production, and soil carbon storage between terracette landscapes and landscapes without networks of livestock tracks can have significant implications to land use policies and practices aiming at soil and water conservation and socio-ecological sustainability of the Loess Plateau, and warrant further investigations.