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Chen L, Xu H, Wu S, Baoyin T. Plant and soil properties mediate the response of soil microbial communities to moderate grazing in a semiarid grassland of northern China. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2021; 284:112005. [PMID: 33540197 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.112005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2020] [Revised: 01/06/2021] [Accepted: 01/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Even though a growing amount of information about the effects of livestock grazing on soil microbial communities have accumulated in literature, less is known about the combined response of plants, soil properties, and their interactions with soil microbes. In this study, we used a seven-year controlled grazing experiment to quantify the response of plant and soil properties and their interactions with soil microbial communities to moderate grazing in a semiarid grassland of Northern China. Our results showed that moderate grazing reduced the richness and diversity of soil microbial communities, as well as weakened community interactions. However, bacterial communities and their linkages were more stable under moderate grazing than fungal communities. Changes in aboveground plant biomass, soil water content, NO3--N, and NO3/NH4 ratio dominated grazing effects on soil bacterial communities, while fungal communities were mainly influenced by plant N, soil NO3--N, and NO3/NH4 ratio. Changes in the plant community composition played a key role in driving the composition of the fungal community. Our results provide a new insight into the response of soil microbes to moderate grazing, and suggest that above- and belowground communities should be considered to be precise indicators of the state and characteristics of the grassland ecosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lingling Chen
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Ecology and Resource Use of the Mongolian Plateau & Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Grassland Ecology, School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, 010021, China.
| | - Hongbin Xu
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Ecology and Resource Use of the Mongolian Plateau & Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Grassland Ecology, School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, 010021, China
| | - Siyu Wu
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Ecology and Resource Use of the Mongolian Plateau & Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Grassland Ecology, School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, 010021, China
| | - Taogetao Baoyin
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Ecology and Resource Use of the Mongolian Plateau & Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Grassland Ecology, School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, 010021, China.
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52
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Gong H, Li Y, Li S. Effects of the interaction between biochar and nutrients on soil organic carbon sequestration in soda saline-alkali grassland: A review. Glob Ecol Conserv 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2020.e01449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
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53
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Guo Y, Abdalla M, Espenberg M, Hastings A, Hallett P, Smith P. A systematic analysis and review of the impacts of afforestation on soil quality indicators as modified by climate zone, forest type and age. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 757:143824. [PMID: 33250240 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.143824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2020] [Revised: 11/01/2020] [Accepted: 11/01/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
This global systematic analysis and review investigate the impacts of previous land use system, climate zone, forest type and forest age on soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP) stock, soil bulk density (BD) and pH at soil layers 0-20, 20-60 and 60-100 cm, following afforestation. Data came from 91 publications on SOC, TN and TP stock changes, covering different countries and climate zones. Overall, afforestation significantly increased SOC by 46%, 52% and 20% at 0-20, 20-60 and 60-100 cm depths, respectively. It also significantly increased shallower TN stocks by 28% and 22% at 0-20 and 20-60 cm depths, respectively, but had no overall impacts on TP. Previous land use system had the largest influence on SOC, TN and TP stock changes, with greater accumulations on barren land compared to cropland and grassland. Climate zone influenced SOC, TN and TP stock changes, with greater accumulations for moist cool than other climate zones. Broadleaf forests were better than coniferous forests for increasing SOC, TN and TP stocks of the investigated soil profile (0-100 cm). Afforestation for <20 years accumulated SOC and TN stocks only at the soil surface (0-20 cm), whilst afforestation for >20 years accumulated SOC and TN stocks to 100 cm soil depth. Changes to SOC and TN were positively correlated at depths down to 100 cm under all age groups, demonstrating that an increase TN could offset progressive N limitation, and maintains SOC accumulation as forests age. TP stock decreased significantly in topsoil (0-20 cm) for <20-year-old forest and did not change for >20-year-old forest, suggesting that it may become a limiting factor for carbon sequestration as forests age. Following afforestation, soil BD decreased alongside significant increases in SOC and TN stocks to 100 cm depth, but had no relationship with TP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Guo
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK.
| | - Mohamed Abdalla
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Mikk Espenberg
- Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Astley Hastings
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Paul Hallett
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Pete Smith
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
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54
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Detecting and Tracking the Positions of Wild Ungulates Using Sound Recordings. SENSORS 2021; 21:s21030866. [PMID: 33525462 PMCID: PMC7865649 DOI: 10.3390/s21030866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2020] [Revised: 01/08/2021] [Accepted: 01/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Monitoring wild ungulates such as deer is a highly challenging issue faced by wildlife managers. Wild ungulates are increasing in number worldwide, causing damage to ecosystems. For effective management, the precise estimation of their population size and habitat is essential. Conventional methods used to estimate the population density of wild ungulates, such as the light census survey, are time-consuming with low accuracy and difficult to implement in harsh environments like muddy wetlands. On the other hand, unmanned aerial vehicles are difficult to use in areas with dense tree cover. Although the passive acoustic monitoring of animal sounds is commonly used to evaluate their diversity, the potential for detecting animal positions from their sound has not been sufficiently investigated. This study introduces a new technique for detecting and tracking deer position in the wild using sound recordings. The technique relies on the time lag among three recorders to estimate the position. A sound recording system was also developed to overcome the time drift problem in the internal clock of recorders, by receiving time information from GPS satellites. Determining deer position enables the elimination of repetitive calls from the same deer, thus providing a promising tool to track deer movement. The validation results revealed that the proposed technique can provide reasonable accuracy for the experimental and natural environment. The identification of deer calls in Oze National Park over a period of two hours emphasizes the great potential of the proposed technique to detect repetitive deer calls, and track deer movement. Hence, the technique is the first step toward designing an automated system for estimating the population of deer or other vocal animals using sound recordings.
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55
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Climate warming from managed grasslands cancels the cooling effect of carbon sinks in sparsely grazed and natural grasslands. Nat Commun 2021; 12:118. [PMID: 33402687 PMCID: PMC7785734 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-20406-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2020] [Accepted: 12/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Grasslands absorb and release carbon dioxide (CO2), emit methane (CH4) from grazing livestock, and emit nitrous oxide (N2O) from soils. Little is known about how the fluxes of these three greenhouse gases, from managed and natural grasslands worldwide, have contributed to past climate change, or the roles of managed pastures versus natural grasslands. Here, global trends and regional patterns of the full greenhouse gas balance of grasslands are estimated for the period 1750 to 2012. A new spatially explicit land surface model is applied, to separate the direct effects of human activities from land management and the indirect effects from climate change, increasing CO2 and regional changes in nitrogen deposition. Direct human management activities are simulated to have caused grasslands to switch from a sink to a source of greenhouse gas, because of increased livestock numbers and accelerated conversion of natural lands to pasture. However, climate change drivers contributed a net carbon sink in soil organic matter, mainly from the increased productivity of grasslands due to increased CO2 and nitrogen deposition. The net radiative forcing of all grasslands is currently close to neutral, but has been increasing since the 1960s. Here, we show that the net global climate warming caused by managed grassland cancels the net climate cooling from carbon sinks in sparsely grazed and natural grasslands. In the face of future climate change and increased demand for livestock products, these findings highlight the need to use sustainable management to preserve and enhance soil carbon storage in grasslands and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from managed grasslands. Grasslands, and the livestock that live there, are dynamic sources and sinks of greenhouse gases, but what controls these fluxes remains poorly characterized. Here the authors show that on the global level, grasslands are climate neutral owing to the cancelling effects of managed vs. natural systems.
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56
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Jiang ZY, Hu ZM, Lai DYF, Han DR, Wang M, Liu M, Zhang M, Guo MY. Light grazing facilitates carbon accumulation in subsoil in Chinese grasslands: A meta-analysis. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2020; 26:7186-7197. [PMID: 32870565 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2020] [Accepted: 08/11/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Grazing by livestock greatly affects the soil carbon (C) cycle in grassland ecosystems. However, the effects of grazing at different intensities and durations on the dynamics of soil C in its subsoil layers are not clearly understood. Here, we compiled data from 78 sites (in total 122 published studies) to examine the effects of varying grazing intensities and durations on soil C content at different depths for grasslands in China. Our meta-analysis revealed that grazing led to an overall decrease in soil C content and productivity of above-ground vegetation (e.g., above-ground biomass and litter) but an increase in below-ground biomass. Specifically, the effects of grazing on soil C content became less negative or even positive with increasing soil depths. An increase of soil C content was consequently found under light grazing (LG), although soil C content still decreased under moderate and heavy grazing. The increase in soil C content under LG could be largely attributed to the increase of soil C content in subsoil layers (>20 cm), despite that soil C content in surface soil layer (0-20 cm) decreased. Moreover, the magnitude of increase in soil C content under LG in subsoil layers increased with grazing duration. A possible reason of the increase in soil C content in the subsoil layers was due to the increases in below-ground biomass. Our study highlights that LG may modify the allocation of C input and promote its accumulation in subsoil layers, thus offsetting the negative impact of grazing on surface soil C content, a finding that has significant implications for C sequestration in grasslands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhi-Yun Jiang
- School of Geography, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhong-Min Hu
- School of Geography, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, Zhuhai, China
| | - Derrick Y F Lai
- Department of Geography and Resource Management, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Centre for Environmental Policy and Resource Management, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Dao-Rui Han
- School of Geography, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Mei Wang
- School of Geography, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Min Liu
- Key Laboratory of Tourism and Resources Environment in Taishan University, Taian, China
| | - Meng Zhang
- Policy Research Center for Environment and Economy, Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People's Republic of China, Beijing, China
| | - Ming-Yan Guo
- School of Geography, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
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57
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Exploring Appropriate Preprocessing Techniques for Hyperspectral Soil Organic Matter Content Estimation in Black Soil Area. REMOTE SENSING 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/rs12223765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Black soil in northeast China is gradually degraded and soil organic matter (SOM) content decreases at a rate of 0.5% per year because of the long-term cultivation. SOM content can be obtained rapidly by visible and near-infrared (Vis–NIR) spectroscopy. It is critical to select appropriate preprocessing techniques for SOM content estimation through Vis–NIR spectroscopy. This study explored three categories of preprocessing techniques to improve the accuracy of SOM content estimation in black soil area, and a total of 496 ground samples were collected from the typical black soil area at 0–15 cm in Hai Lun City, Heilongjiang Province, northeast of China. Three categories of preprocessing include denoising, data transformation and dimensionality reduction. For denoising, Svitzky-Golay filter (SGF), wavelet packet transform (WPT), multiplicative scatter correction (MSC), and none (N) were applied to spectrum of ground samples. For data transformation, fractional derivatives were allowed to vary from 0 to 2 with an increment of 0.2 at each step. For dimensionality reduction, multidimensional scaling (MDS) and locally linear embedding (LLE) were introduced and compared with principal component analysis (PCA), which was commonly used for dimensionality reduction of soil spectrum. After spectral pretreatments, a total of 132 partial least squares regression (PLSR) models were constructed for SOM content estimation. Results showed that SGF performed better than the other three denoising methods. Low-order derivatives can accentuate spectral features of soil for SOM content estimation; as the order increases from 0.8, the spectrum were more susceptible to spectral noise interferences. In most cases, 0.2–0.8 order derivatives exhibited the best estimation performance. Furthermore, PCA yielded the optimal predictability, the mean residual predictive deviation (RPD) and maximum RPD of the models using PCA were 1.79 and 2.60, respectively. The application of appropriate preprocessing techniques could improve the efficiency and accuracy of SOM content estimation, which is important for the protection of ecological and agricultural environment in black soil area.
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58
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Whitehead D. Management of Grazed Landscapes to Increase Soil Carbon Stocks in Temperate, Dryland Grasslands. FRONTIERS IN SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS 2020. [DOI: 10.3389/fsufs.2020.585913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
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59
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Uddin ME, Kebreab E. Review: Impact of Food and Climate Change on Pastoral Industries. FRONTIERS IN SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS 2020. [DOI: 10.3389/fsufs.2020.543403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
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60
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Viglizzo EF, Taboada MA, Vázquez-Amábile G, Ricard MF. Response to the Letter to the Editor "The role of South American grazing lands in mitigating greenhouse gas emissions. A reply to: 'Reassessing the role of grazing lands in carbon-balance estimations: Meta-analysis and review' by .". THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 740:140119. [PMID: 32600775 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- E F Viglizzo
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa, Mendoza 109, L6302EPA Santa Rosa, La Pampa, Argentina; GPS Grupo de Países Productores del Sur, Billinghurst 2564-4° Floor, C1425DTZ Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina; Universidad Austral, Paraguay 1950, S2000FZF Rosario, Santa Fe, Argentina.
| | - M A Taboada
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa, Mendoza 109, L6302EPA Santa Rosa, La Pampa, Argentina; Instituto de Suelos, Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria, Nicolás Repetto y de los Reseros s/n, B1686 Hurlingham, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Facultad de Agronomía, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Av. San Martin 4453, C1417DSE Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - G Vázquez-Amábile
- Asociación Argentina de Consorcios Regionales de Experimentación Agrícola, Av. Córdoba 1233-5° Floor, C1055AAC Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina; Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestales, Universidad de La Plata, Diagonal 113 N°469-3° Floor, B1900 La Plata, Argentina
| | - M F Ricard
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de La Pampa, Uruguay 151, L6300, La Pampa, Argentina
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61
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Mustafa A, Minggang X, Ali Shah SA, Abrar MM, Nan S, Baoren W, Zejiang C, Saeed Q, Naveed M, Mehmood K, Núñez-Delgado A. Soil aggregation and soil aggregate stability regulate organic carbon and nitrogen storage in a red soil of southern China. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2020; 270:110894. [PMID: 32721331 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2020.110894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2020] [Revised: 04/27/2020] [Accepted: 05/30/2020] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Soil aggregation plays a critical role in the maintenance of soil structure, as well as in its productivity. Fertilization influences soil aggregation, especially by regulating soil organic carbon (SOC) and total nitrogen (TN) contents in aggregate fractions. The present study evaluated the influence of three contrasting fertilizer regimes (unfertilized control -CK-, mineral fertilization -NPK- and manure combined with NPK -NPKM) on soil aggregate stability, aggregate-associated organic carbon and total nitrogen sequestration and mineralization of SOC. Soil samples from (20 cm) depth were collected from a long-term fertilization experiment and analysed for size distribution ranging (>250 μm, 250-53 μm and <53 μm sizes), SOC and TN contents, as well as for mineralization of bulk and aggregate associated-SOC. Both NPK and NPKM fertilizations significantly enhanced SOC and TN contents in bulk soil and its constituent aggregates of >250 μm, 250-53 μm and <53 μm sizes, as compared to CK. Long-term NPK and NPKM increased SOC and TN stock in bulk soil by 45 and 98%, and by 70 and 144%, respectively, as compared to CK. Similarly, higher values of SOC and TN stock in all aggregate fractions was observed with the application of NPKM. Application of NPK and NPKM for 26 years significantly increased aggregate stability, which was positively correlated with total SOC contents in terms of mean weight diameter (MWD) (Adj. R2 = 0.689, p < 0.03) and geometric mean diameter (GMD) (Adj. R2 = 0.471, p < 0.24). Moreover, higher scores regarding cumulative mineralization for bulk soil and aggregate associated OC were observed with the application of NPK and NPKM. Irrespective of treatments, higher cumulative C-mineralization was observed for macro-aggregates (>250 μm size) followed by 250-53 μm and <53 μm size aggregates. Interestingly, a highly positive correlation was observed between aggregate stability and the cumulative amount of mineralization for bulk soil and aggregate fractions, with R2 ranging from 0.84 to 0.99. This study evidenced that long-term fertilization of NPK and NPKM can improve soil aggregation, stability and associated OC and TN stock in aggregates, as well as aggregate-associated OC mineralization, which was further governed by aggregate size.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adnan Mustafa
- National Engineering Laboratory for Improving Quality of Arable Land, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081, China
| | - Xu Minggang
- National Engineering Laboratory for Improving Quality of Arable Land, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081, China.
| | - Syed Atizaz Ali Shah
- National Engineering Laboratory for Improving Quality of Arable Land, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081, China
| | - Muhammad Mohsin Abrar
- National Engineering Laboratory for Improving Quality of Arable Land, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081, China
| | - Sun Nan
- National Engineering Laboratory for Improving Quality of Arable Land, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081, China
| | - Wang Baoren
- National Engineering Laboratory for Improving Quality of Arable Land, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081, China; Qiyang Agro-ecosystem of National Field Experimental Station, Hunan, 426182, China
| | - Cai Zejiang
- National Engineering Laboratory for Improving Quality of Arable Land, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081, China; Qiyang Agro-ecosystem of National Field Experimental Station, Hunan, 426182, China
| | - Qudsia Saeed
- College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University, Yangling, 712100, PR China
| | - Muhammad Naveed
- Institute of Soil and Environmental Sciences, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, 38040, Pakistan
| | - Khalid Mehmood
- Research Center for Air Pollution and Health, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, PR China
| | - Avelino Núñez-Delgado
- Dept. Soil Sci. and Agric. Chem., Eng. Polytech. School, Campus univ. 27002 Lugo, Univ. Santiago de Compostela, Spain
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62
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Fen grassland vegetation under different land uses (Biebrza National Park, Poland). Glob Ecol Conserv 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2020.e01188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
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63
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Larson DL, Hernández DL, Larson JL, Leone JB, Pennarola N. Management of remnant tallgrass prairie by grazing or fire: effects on plant communities and soil properties. Ecosphere 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Diane L. Larson
- U.S. Geological Survey Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center 1561 Lindig Street St. Paul Minnesota55108USA
| | - Daniel L. Hernández
- Biology Department Carleton College 1 North College Street Northfield Minnesota55057USA
| | | | - Julia B. Leone
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology University of Minnesota 2003 Upper Buford Circle St. Paul Minnesota55108USA
| | - Nora Pennarola
- Department of Entomology University of Minnesota 1980 Folwell Avenue St. Paul Minnesota55108USA
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64
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Lai L, Kumar S. A global meta-analysis of livestock grazing impacts on soil properties. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0236638. [PMID: 32764754 PMCID: PMC7413490 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0236638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2019] [Accepted: 07/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Grazing effects on soil properties under different soil and environmental conditions across the globe are often controversial. Therefore, it is essential to evaluate the overall magnitude and direction of the grazing effects on soils. This global meta-analysis was conducted using the mixed model method to address the overall effects of grazing intensities (heavy, moderate, and light) on 15 soil properties based on 287 papers published globally from 2007 to 2019. Our findings showed that heavy grazing significantly increased the soil BD (11.3% relative un-grazing) and PR (52.5%) and reduced SOC (-10.8%), WC (-10.8%), NO3- (-23.5%), and MBC (-27.9%) at 0–10 cm depth, and reduced SOC (-22.5%) and TN (-19.9%) at 10–30 cm depth. Moderate grazing significantly increased the BD (7.5%), PR (46.0%), and P (18.9%) (0–10 cm), and increased pH (4.1%) and decreased SOC (-16.4%), TN (-10.6%), and P (-23.9%) (10–30 cm). Light grazing significantly increased the SOC (10.8%) and NH4+ (28.7%) (0–10 cm). Heavy grazing showed much higher mean probability (0.70) leading to overgrazing than the moderate (0.14) and light (0.10) grazing. These findings indicate that, globally, compared to un-grazing, heavy grazing significantly increased soil compaction and reduced SOC, NO3-, and soil moisture. Moderate grazing significantly increased soil compaction and alkalinity and reduced SOC and TN. Light grazing significantly increased SOC and NH4+. Cattle grazing impacts on soil compaction, SOC, TN, and available K were higher than sheep grazing, but lower for PR. Climate significantly impacted grazing effects on SOM, TN, available P, NH4+, EC, CEC, and PR. Heavy grazing can be more detrimental to soil quality based on BD, SOC, TN, C: N, WC, and K than moderate and light grazing. However, global grazing intensities did not significantly impact most of the 15 soil properties, and the grazing effects on them had insignificant changes over the years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liming Lai
- Department of Agronomy, Hetao College, Bayannur, Inner Mongolia, China
- Department of Agronomy, Horticulture and Plant Sciences, South Dakota State University, Brookings, South Dakota, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Sandeep Kumar
- Department of Agronomy, Horticulture and Plant Sciences, South Dakota State University, Brookings, South Dakota, United States of America
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65
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Carbon sequestration and vegetation properties across the age of community managed exclosures in Northern Ethiopia. J Nat Conserv 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jnc.2020.125856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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66
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Pereira P, Barceló D, Panagos P. Soil and water threats in a changing environment. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2020; 186:109501. [PMID: 32325293 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.109501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2020] [Accepted: 04/07/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Paulo Pereira
- Environmental Management Laboratory, Mykolas Romeris University, Vilnius, Lithuania.
| | - Damià Barceló
- Water and Soil Quality Research Group, Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA), Barcelona, Spain; Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies (ICRA), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Panos Panagos
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), I-21027, Ispra (VA), Italy.
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67
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Unravelling effects of grazing intensity on genetic diversity and fitness of desert vegetation. Perspect Ecol Conserv 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pecon.2020.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
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68
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Jimoh SO, Muraina TO, Bello SK, NourEldeen N. Emerging issues in grassland ecology research: Perspectives for advancing grassland studies in Nigeria. ACTA OECOLOGICA 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.actao.2020.103548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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69
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Response of Vegetation and Soil Characteristics to Grazing Disturbance in Mountain Meadows and Temperate Typical Steppe in the Arid Regions of Central Asian, Xinjiang. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:ijerph17124572. [PMID: 32630392 PMCID: PMC7345459 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17124572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2020] [Revised: 06/19/2020] [Accepted: 06/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Grazing is one of the most common causes of grassland degradation, therefore, an assessment of soil physicochemical properties and plant nutrients under grazing is important for understanding its influences on ecosystem nutrient cycling and for formulating appropriate management strategies. However, the effects of grazing on grassland soil physicochemical properties and plant nutrients in mountain meadow and temperate typical steppe in the arid regions are still unclear. Therefore, we investigated the vegetation nutrient concentrations of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (N, P, and K) as well as soil physicochemical properties in the topmost 40 cm depth soil, to evaluate how these factors respond to grazing disturbance in a mountain meadow and temperate typical steppe within a mountain basin system in arid regions. Our results revealed that the soil bulk density values at depth of 0–40 cm increased after grazing in the mountain meadow and temperate typical steppe, whereas the soil water content decreased in the mountain meadow and increased in the temperate typical steppe after grazing. In the mountain meadow, soil total N and available P in addition to vegetation N and P concentrations increased in response to high-intensity grazing, while soil available N, available K and vegetation K decreased after grazing; in addition, soil pH, soil total P and K showed no significant changes. In the temperate typical steppe, the soil total P, soil available N, P, and K, and vegetation N, P, and K increased under relatively low-intensity grazing, whereas soil pH and soil total K showed no significant changes except for the deceasing soil total N. Our findings showed the different responses of different grassland ecosystems to grazing. Moreover, we propose that further related studies are necessary to better understand the effects of grazing on grassland ecosystems, and thereby provide a theoretical basis for the sustainable use of animal husbandry and ecological restoration of grasslands.
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Armas-Herrera CM, Badía-Villas D, Mora JL, Gómez D. Plant-topsoil relationships underlying subalpine grassland patchiness. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 712:134483. [PMID: 31822420 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.134483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2019] [Revised: 09/14/2019] [Accepted: 09/14/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Approximately half of the area in the Spanish Central Pyrenees is dedicated to pastures. A decrease in stocking rate coupled with changes in livestock management in recent decades have favoured the expansion of Nardus grasslands, which are considered undesirable for grazing use and for diversity conservation. The objective of this study was to analyse how topsoil properties are related to grassland plant composition occurring in erosion-disturbed (chalk grasslands) and undisturbed (Nardus mat-grasslands) soils in a subalpine area of the Spanish Central Pyrenees. We selected six paired sampling points for a side-by-side comparison of both communities. At each point, we 1) estimated the plant cover of each species through inventories and 2) analysed a set of physical-chemical topsoil properties (0-5 and 5-10 cm depth). Data were analysed through multivariate analysis. We found typical species of Nardus mat-grasslands in the undisturbed sites growing on non-eroded and well-structured soils that were low in calcium and acidic, with high contents of organic matter. In turn, we found earlier-successional grassland communities growing on slopes recently affected by soil erosion processes. The species composition was mainly species from stony slope grasslands and, to a lesser extent, from the long-term snow-covered environments of the high mountains. These soils were shallower and stonier and had a less-stable structure, higher pH, and lower organic matter and calcium content than undisturbed soils. Our results suggest that the differences between both communities emerge and are maintained by soil-plant feedback mechanisms mediated in Nardus mat-grasslands through soil stabilization and acidification and in chalk grasslands through soil erosion and basification. These findings suggest that the subalpine grassland mosaic results from a model of non-equilibrium plant coexistence due to soil disturbance and inexorable succession. Management should be focused on maintaining a disturbance regime, through grazing, sufficient to prevent the spreading of Nardus mat-grasslands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecilia M Armas-Herrera
- Departamento de Ciencias Agrarias y del Medio Natural, Escuela Politécnica Superior de Huesca, Universidad de Zaragoza, Carretera de Cuarte s/n, 22071 Huesca, Spain.
| | - David Badía-Villas
- Departamento de Ciencias Agrarias y del Medio Natural, Escuela Politécnica Superior de Huesca, Universidad de Zaragoza, Carretera de Cuarte s/n, 22071 Huesca, Spain; Instituto de Investigación en Ciencias Ambientales de Aragón (IUCA), Universidad de Zaragoza, Zaragoza 50013, Spain
| | - Juan Luis Mora
- Instituto de Investigación en Ciencias Ambientales de Aragón (IUCA), Universidad de Zaragoza, Zaragoza 50013, Spain; Departamento de Ciencias Agrarias y del Medio Natural, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Zaragoza, C/Miguel Servet 177, 50013 Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Daniel Gómez
- Instituto Pirenaico de Ecología (CSIC), Av. Ntra. Sra. de la Victoria, s/n, 22700 Jaca, Huesca, Spain
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Lu H, Li H, Wang J, Zheng H, Cao X, Tong C. Optimal water and land resource allocation in pastoral areas based on a water-land forage-livestock balance: a case study of Otog Front Banner, Inner Mongolia, China. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2020; 27:10328-10341. [PMID: 31939014 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-019-07559-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2019] [Accepted: 12/29/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Natural grasslands provide important land resources in pastoral areas, and greatly contribute to ecological functioning. Overgrazing and other unreasonable exploitations have led to the degradation and desertification of natural grasslands, exacerbating the forage-livestock imbalance. In areas suffering from water shortage, this imbalance gradually evolves into a water-land forage-livestock imbalance. In this study, a water-land forage-livestock balance-based model was developed to optimise the allocation of water, land, and forage resources in pastoral areas, while addressing economic and ecological benefits in a coupled manner. The model was applied in a case study of Otog Front Banner to simulate the comprehensive economic and ecological benefits to the development of water, land, and forage resources in different coupled allocations of artificial and natural grasslands. The results showed that as the duration of supplementary and barn feeding increased, local development was first constrained by the availability of natural grasslands and then by the availability of water resources. The optimal resource allocation in Otog Front Banner predicted for 2030 included a water consumption of 266,000,000 m3, an irrigation area of 43,000 ha, a natural grassland utilisation area of 684,700 ha, and a livestock farming scale of 1,188,500 sheep units.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haiyuan Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Simulation and Regulation of Water Cycle in River Basin, China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Beijing, 10038, China
- Institute of Water Resources for Pastoral Area, Ministry of Water Resources of the People's Republic of China, Hohhot, 010020, China
| | - Heping Li
- State Key Laboratory of Simulation and Regulation of Water Cycle in River Basin, China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Beijing, 10038, China.
- Institute of Water Resources for Pastoral Area, Ministry of Water Resources of the People's Republic of China, Hohhot, 010020, China.
| | - Jun Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Simulation and Regulation of Water Cycle in River Basin, China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Beijing, 10038, China
- Institute of Water Resources for Pastoral Area, Ministry of Water Resources of the People's Republic of China, Hohhot, 010020, China
| | - Hexiang Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Simulation and Regulation of Water Cycle in River Basin, China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Beijing, 10038, China
- Institute of Water Resources for Pastoral Area, Ministry of Water Resources of the People's Republic of China, Hohhot, 010020, China
| | - Xuesong Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Simulation and Regulation of Water Cycle in River Basin, China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Beijing, 10038, China
- Institute of Water Resources for Pastoral Area, Ministry of Water Resources of the People's Republic of China, Hohhot, 010020, China
| | - Changfu Tong
- State Key Laboratory of Simulation and Regulation of Water Cycle in River Basin, China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Beijing, 10038, China
- Institute of Water Resources for Pastoral Area, Ministry of Water Resources of the People's Republic of China, Hohhot, 010020, China
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Sykes AJ, Macleod M, Eory V, Rees RM, Payen F, Myrgiotis V, Williams M, Sohi S, Hillier J, Moran D, Manning DAC, Goglio P, Seghetta M, Williams A, Harris J, Dondini M, Walton J, House J, Smith P. Characterising the biophysical, economic and social impacts of soil carbon sequestration as a greenhouse gas removal technology. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2020; 26:1085-1108. [PMID: 31532049 PMCID: PMC7079085 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.14844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2018] [Accepted: 08/21/2019] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
To limit warming to well below 2°C, most scenario projections rely on greenhouse gas removal technologies (GGRTs); one such GGRT uses soil carbon sequestration (SCS) in agricultural land. In addition to their role in mitigating climate change, SCS practices play a role in delivering agroecosystem resilience, climate change adaptability and food security. Environmental heterogeneity and differences in agricultural practices challenge the practical implementation of SCS, and our analysis addresses the associated knowledge gap. Previous assessments have focused on global potentials, but there is a need among policymakers to operationalise SCS. Here, we assess a range of practices already proposed to deliver SCS, and distil these into a subset of specific measures. We provide a multidisciplinary summary of the barriers and potential incentives towards practical implementation of these measures. First, we identify specific practices with potential for both a positive impact on SCS at farm level and an uptake rate compatible with global impact. These focus on: (a) optimising crop primary productivity (e.g. nutrient optimisation, pH management, irrigation); (b) reducing soil disturbance and managing soil physical properties (e.g. improved rotations, minimum till); (c) minimising deliberate removal of C or lateral transport via erosion processes (e.g. support measures, bare fallow reduction); (d) addition of C produced outside the system (e.g. organic manure amendments, biochar addition); (e) provision of additional C inputs within the cropping system (e.g. agroforestry, cover cropping). We then consider economic and non-cost barriers and incentives for land managers implementing these measures, along with the potential externalised impacts of implementation. This offers a framework and reference point for holistic assessment of the impacts of SCS. Finally, we summarise and discuss the ability of extant scientific approaches to quantify the technical potential and externalities of SCS measures, and the barriers and incentives to their implementation in global agricultural systems.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Vera Eory
- Scotland's Rural College (SRUC)EdinburghUK
| | | | - Florian Payen
- Scotland's Rural College (SRUC)EdinburghUK
- School of GeosciencesThe University of EdinburghEdinburghUK
| | | | | | - Saran Sohi
- School of GeosciencesThe University of EdinburghEdinburghUK
| | - Jon Hillier
- Global Academy of Agriculture and Food SecurityThe University of EdinburghMidlothianUK
| | - Dominic Moran
- Global Academy of Agriculture and Food SecurityThe University of EdinburghMidlothianUK
| | - David A. C. Manning
- School of Natural and Environmental SciencesNewcastle UniversityNewcastle‐upon TyneUK
| | - Pietro Goglio
- School of Water, Energy and EnvironmentCranfield UniversityBedfordUK
| | - Michele Seghetta
- School of Water, Energy and EnvironmentCranfield UniversityBedfordUK
| | - Adrian Williams
- School of Water, Energy and EnvironmentCranfield UniversityBedfordUK
| | - Jim Harris
- School of Water, Energy and EnvironmentCranfield UniversityBedfordUK
| | - Marta Dondini
- Institute of Biological & Environmental SciencesUniversity of AberdeenAberdeenUK
| | - Jack Walton
- Institute of Biological & Environmental SciencesUniversity of AberdeenAberdeenUK
| | | | - Pete Smith
- Institute of Biological & Environmental SciencesUniversity of AberdeenAberdeenUK
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Ji L, Qin Y, Jimoh SO, Hou X, Zhang N, Gan Y, Luo Y. Impacts of livestock grazing on vegetation characteristics and soil chemical properties of alpine meadows in the eastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. ECOSCIENCE 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/11956860.2019.1710908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lei Ji
- Institute of Grassland Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences/Key Laboratory of Grassland Ecology and Restoration, Ministry of Agriculture, Hohhot, China
- School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, China
| | - Yan Qin
- Institute of Grassland Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences/Key Laboratory of Grassland Ecology and Restoration, Ministry of Agriculture, Hohhot, China
| | - Saheed Olaide Jimoh
- Institute of Grassland Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences/Key Laboratory of Grassland Ecology and Restoration, Ministry of Agriculture, Hohhot, China
| | - Xiangyang Hou
- Institute of Grassland Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences/Key Laboratory of Grassland Ecology and Restoration, Ministry of Agriculture, Hohhot, China
| | - Na Zhang
- Institute of Grassland Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences/Key Laboratory of Grassland Ecology and Restoration, Ministry of Agriculture, Hohhot, China
| | - Youmin Gan
- Department of Grassland Science, Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya’an, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Yuanjia Luo
- Department of Grassland Science, Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya’an, Sichuan Province, China
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Iravani M, White SR, Farr DR, Habib TJ, Kariyeva J, Faramarzi M. Assessing the provision of carbon-related ecosystem services across a range of temperate grassland systems in western Canada. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 680:151-168. [PMID: 31103894 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.05.083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2019] [Revised: 05/07/2019] [Accepted: 05/07/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Reliable data on the provision of ecosystem services (ES) is essential to the design and implementation of policies that incorporate ES into grassland conservation and restoration. We developed and applied an innovative approach for regional parameterization, and calibration of the CENTURY ecosystem model. We quantified spatiotemporal variation of soil organic carbon stock (SOC) and aboveground plant biomass production (AGB) and examined their responses to the recent climate change across a diverse range of native grassland systems in Alberta, western Canada. The simultaneous integration of SOC and AGB into calibration and analysis accounted for most of the spatiotemporal variability in the SOC and AGB measurements and resulted in reduced simulation uncertainty across nine grassland regions. These findings suggest the importance of the systematic parameterization and calibration for the reliable assessment of carbon-related ES across a wide geographic area with heterogeneous ecological conditions. Simulation results showed a pronounced variation in the spatial distribution of SOC and AGB and their associated uncertainty across grassland regions. Under baseline grazing intensity regime, an overall negative effect of recent climatic changes on the SOC, and a less consistent effect on the AGB were found. While, an overall positive or slightly negative impact of recent climate change on the SOC and AGB was found under a proposed 10% lower grazing intensity regime. These heterogeneities in the magnitude and direction of climate change effects under different grazing regimes suggest needs for a range of climate change adaptation strategies to maintain carbon-related ES in Alberta's grasslands. The modeling framework developed in this study can be used to improve the spatially explicit assessment of carbon-related ES in other geographically vast grassland areas and examine the effectiveness of alternative management scenarios to ensure the long-term provision of carbon-related ES in grassland systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Majid Iravani
- Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E9, Canada; Watershed Science and Modelling Laboratory, Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E3, Canada.
| | - Shannon R White
- Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - Daniel R Farr
- Environmental Monitoring and Science Division, Government of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T5J 5C6, Canada
| | - Thomas J Habib
- Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - Jahan Kariyeva
- Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - Monireh Faramarzi
- Watershed Science and Modelling Laboratory, Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E3, Canada
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Abdalla M, Hastings A, Cheng K, Yue Q, Chadwick D, Espenberg M, Truu J, Rees RM, Smith P. A critical review of the impacts of cover crops on nitrogen leaching, net greenhouse gas balance and crop productivity. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2019; 25:2530-2543. [PMID: 30955227 PMCID: PMC6851768 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.14644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2018] [Revised: 03/06/2019] [Accepted: 03/28/2019] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Cover crops play an increasingly important role in improving soil quality, reducing agricultural inputs and improving environmental sustainability. The main objectives of this critical global review and systematic analysis were to assess cover crop practices in the context of their impacts on nitrogen leaching, net greenhouse gas balances (NGHGB) and crop productivity. Only studies that investigated the impacts of cover crops and measured one or a combination of nitrogen leaching, soil organic carbon (SOC), nitrous oxide (N2 O), grain yield and nitrogen in grain of primary crop, and had a control treatment were included in the analysis. Long-term studies were uncommon, with most data coming from studies lasting 2-3 years. The literature search resulted in 106 studies carried out at 372 sites and covering different countries, climatic zones and management. Our analysis demonstrates that cover crops significantly (p < 0.001) decreased N leaching and significantly (p < 0.001) increased SOC sequestration without having significant (p > 0.05) effects on direct N2 O emissions. Cover crops could mitigate the NGHGB by 2.06 ± 2.10 Mg CO2 -eq ha-1 year-1 . One of the potential disadvantages of cover crops identified was the reduction in grain yield of the primary crop by ≈4%, compared to the control treatment. This drawback could be avoided by selecting mixed cover crops with a range of legumes and non-legumes, which increased the yield by ≈13%. These advantages of cover crops justify their widespread adoption. However, management practices in relation to cover crops will need to be adapted to specific soil, management and regional climatic conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed Abdalla
- Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, School of Biological SciencesUniversity of AberdeenAberdeenUK
| | - Astley Hastings
- Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, School of Biological SciencesUniversity of AberdeenAberdeenUK
| | - Kun Cheng
- Institute of Resource, Ecosystem and Environment of Agriculture, Centre of Climate Change and AgricultureNanjing Agricultural UniversityNanjingJiangsuChina
| | - Qian Yue
- Institute of Resource, Ecosystem and Environment of Agriculture, Centre of Climate Change and AgricultureNanjing Agricultural UniversityNanjingJiangsuChina
| | - Dave Chadwick
- School of Natural ResourcesBangor UniversityBangorGwyneddUK
| | - Mikk Espenberg
- Faculty of Science and TechnologyUniversity of TartuTartuEstonia
| | - Jaak Truu
- Faculty of Science and TechnologyUniversity of TartuTartuEstonia
| | | | - Pete Smith
- Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, School of Biological SciencesUniversity of AberdeenAberdeenUK
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76
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Evolution of Grazing Practices in Belgian Dairy Farms: Results of Two Surveys. SUSTAINABILITY 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/su11153997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Numerous publications have highlighted the potential role of grassland in the mitigation of the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of the agricultural sector. Yet, the preservation of grassland is included in the main objectives of the greening policies of the European Union (EU). To assess how this greening program has influenced the behaviour and perceptions of the dairy sector, two surveys were foreseen during the project LIFE dairyclim and sent to all the dairy farmers of Wallonia (Belgium) at three-year intervals (2016 – 2019). The answer rates reached 32.6%. Questions concerned four topics: General farm description, grazing practices, perceptions and expectations, and general grassland management. Following the results of these surveys, a large majority of lactating dairy cows grazed in Wallonia (96.5%). The main differences between 2016 and 2019 were the increase in size of the dairy farms in terms of surface (77.2 ha in 2016 to 84.4 ha in 2019) and production, the disappearance of small farms of less than 60 cows, and the progression of the organic sector from 9.3% to 11.7%. Perceptions of farmers on grazing differed following their grazing practices: No-grazing farmers were very sceptical about the advantages of grazing. On the opposite hand, organic farmers were very enthusiastic. Awareness of farmers about the preservation of landscape and the image of the sector for the consumers has increased during the three-year period. The requirements of the dairy industry and authorities were cited as incentives to keep grazing. The expectations of the farmers differed from 2016 to 2019 with a smaller proportion desiring to increase their grazing practices and more, staying stable. These results seem to indicate that the support of farmers and the involvement of authorities and stakeholders could contribute to maintain grazing.
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Modeling Soil Nitrogen Content in South Patagonia across a Climate Gradient, Vegetation Type, and Grazing. SUSTAINABILITY 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/su11092707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Soil total nitrogen (N) stock in rangelands, shrublands, and forests support key ecological functions such as the capacity of the land to sustain plant and animal productivity and ecosystem services. The objective of this study was to model soil total N stocks and soil C/N ratio from 0–30 cm depth across the region using freely accessible information on topography, climate, and vegetation with a view to establishing a baseline against which sustainable land management practices can be evaluated in Southern Patagonia. We used stepwise multiple regression to determine which independent variables best explained soil total N variation across the landscape in Southern Patagonia. We then used multiple regression models to upscale and produce maps of soil total N and C/N across the Santa Cruz province. Soil total N stock to 30 cm ranged from 0.13 to 2.21 kg N m−2, and soil C/N ratios ranged from 4.5 to 26.8. The model for variation of soil total N stock explained 88% of the variance on the data and the most powerful predictor variables were: isothermality, elevation, and vegetation cover (normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI)). Soil total N and soil C/N ratios were allocated to three categories (low, medium, high) and these three levels were used to map the variation of soil total N and soil C/N ratios across Southern Patagonia. The results demonstrate that soil total N decreases as desertification increases, probably due to erosional processes, and that soil C/N is lower at low temperatures and increased with increasing precipitation. Soil total N and soil C/N ratios are critical variables that determine system capacity for productivity, especially the provisioning ecosystem services, and can serve as baselines against which efforts to adopt more sustainable land management practices in Patagonia can be assessed.
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Massaccesi L, Cartoni Mancinelli A, Mattioli S, De Feudis M, Castellini C, Dal Bosco A, Marongiu ML, Agnelli A. Geese Reared in Vineyard: Soil, Grass and Animals Interaction. Animals (Basel) 2019; 9:ani9040179. [PMID: 31010250 PMCID: PMC6523708 DOI: 10.3390/ani9040179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2019] [Revised: 04/15/2019] [Accepted: 04/17/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Agroforestry is a practice, which consists of having orchard, crops and animals in the same land. This system shows many sustainability advantages like reductions of land use, permitting to obtain two productions (vegetal and animal) in the same area. Moreover, if the animals are well managed, they exert a double action by fertilizing and weeding the soil. The agroforestry system here studied consists of an organic vineyard where geese at two densities (High Geese Density-HGD and Low Geese Density-LGD) were reared. In the organic vineyard, only Copper (Cu) treatment is allowed, like antifungal. The aim was to investigate the chemical and biochemical properties of the soil with geese and the impact of Cu on the soil and animal tissues. The main results showed that the presence of animals improves the efficiency of the microbial biomass mainly in the upper soil horizons. Moreover, the grazing activity of geese removes Cu from the soil with the grass intake and showed a moderate accumulation in the liver. However, no significant difference was present in the edible tissues (breast and drumstick) of the vineyard geese in respect to the control ones. Abstract Agroforestry systems aim at increasing the productivity and the environmental sustainability of both crop and animal productions. The integration of small animals such as geese in the vineyard could represent an opportunity to improve farm income and reduce land use for grazing. The main objective of this work was to study the impact of geese rearing in an organic vineyard on the chemical and biochemical properties of the soil and the effect of Copper (Cu) supplied with the fungicide treatments. Furthermore, the amount of Cu in the animal tissues was also investigated. Three experimental areas within the vineyard were selected: High Geese Density (HGD-240 geese ha−1), Low Geese Density (LGD-120 geese ha−1) and Without Geese used as control soil (WG). The results indicated that both HGD and LGD did not affect the main chemical properties of the vineyard soils. LGD increased the amount and the efficiency of the microbial biomass in the upper soil horizons. Moreover, geese through the grazing activity reduced the Cu content in the vineyard soils, accumulating this element in their liver. However, the content of Cu in the breast and drumstick of vineyard geese did not show any significant difference in respect the meat of the control ones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luisa Massaccesi
- Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Food Science, University of Perugia, Borgo XX Giugno 74, 06124 Perugia, Italy.
| | - Alice Cartoni Mancinelli
- Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Food Science, University of Perugia, Borgo XX Giugno 74, 06124 Perugia, Italy.
| | - Simona Mattioli
- Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Food Science, University of Perugia, Borgo XX Giugno 74, 06124 Perugia, Italy.
| | - Mauro De Feudis
- Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Food Science, University of Perugia, Borgo XX Giugno 74, 06124 Perugia, Italy.
| | - Cesare Castellini
- Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Food Science, University of Perugia, Borgo XX Giugno 74, 06124 Perugia, Italy.
| | - Alessandro Dal Bosco
- Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Food Science, University of Perugia, Borgo XX Giugno 74, 06124 Perugia, Italy.
| | - Maria Laura Marongiu
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, Via Vienna 2, 07100 Sassari, Italy.
| | - Alberto Agnelli
- Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Food Science, University of Perugia, Borgo XX Giugno 74, 06124 Perugia, Italy.
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Villoslada Peciña M, Ward RD, Bunce RGH, Sepp K, Kuusemets V, Luuk O. Country-scale mapping of ecosystem services provided by semi-natural grasslands. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 661:212-225. [PMID: 30669054 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.01.174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2018] [Revised: 01/13/2019] [Accepted: 01/14/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Semi-natural grasslands harbour high biodiversity and play a key role in the supply of ecosystem services (ES). However, abandonment, changes in traditional management practices and agricultural intensification constitute a major threat to these grasslands worldwide and these practices have led to declines in species diversity. In this paper the multi-functionality of semi natural-grasslands is assessed from the ES perspective, within a range of common semi-natural grassland types throughout Estonia. The analysis follows a stepwise approach based on the ES cascade model. Firstly, analyses of the relationships between plant species distribution patterns and environmental factors are described. Secondly, the effect of grassland abandonment on plant species diversity, as well as on the presence of rare and protected plant species is tested. In order to overcome the lack of data on ES at the national scale, plant species diversity and soil organic carbon are tested as surrogate indicators for five ESS: pollination, herbs for traditional medicinal use, nutrient cycling, nutrient retention and biomass production. In the final step, the spatial distribution of ES is assessed, based on an ES hotspots map obtained by detecting areas where high levels of plant species diversity and soil organic carbon overlap. The results show that the majority of ES hotspots are present in wooded meadows and pastures. However, there is an important threat to these hotspots because 45% are not eligible for agri-environmental support.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Villoslada Peciña
- Institute of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Kreutzwaldi 5, EE-51014 Tartu, Estonia.
| | - Raymond D Ward
- Institute of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Kreutzwaldi 5, EE-51014 Tartu, Estonia; Centre for Aquatic Environments, University of Brighton, Cockcroft Building, Moulsecoomb, Brighton BN2 4GJ, UK
| | - Robert G H Bunce
- Institute of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Kreutzwaldi 5, EE-51014 Tartu, Estonia
| | - Kalev Sepp
- Institute of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Kreutzwaldi 5, EE-51014 Tartu, Estonia
| | - Valdo Kuusemets
- Institute of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Kreutzwaldi 5, EE-51014 Tartu, Estonia
| | - Ott Luuk
- Department of Botany, University of Tartu, Lai 40, 51005 Tartu, Estonia
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80
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Xu Z, Fan W, Wei H, Zhang P, Ren J, Gao Z, Ulgiati S, Kong W, Dong X. Evaluation and simulation of the impact of land use change on ecosystem services based on a carbon flow model: A case study of the Manas River Basin of Xinjiang, China. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 652:117-133. [PMID: 30359796 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.10.206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2018] [Revised: 10/14/2018] [Accepted: 10/15/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Land use change affects ecosystem services by changing the structure and function of ecosystems. Carbon flows throughout natural and socioeconomic systems can effectively reveal this process. The Manas River Basin has experienced rapid oasis expansion for decades, and land use change in the basin is very typical. Oasis expansion has caused a large amount of cropland to invade natural vegetation, thus affecting ecosystem services. This study used a biomass-based ecosystem service estimation model to assess changes in ecosystem services in the Manas River Basin. The carbon flow model was constructed using energy systems language, and the future development of ecosystem services was simulated based on different land use scenarios. The results show the following: (1) From 1980 to 2015, the river basin provisioning service was continuously optimized, while the regulating, supporting and cultural services were reduced. (2) If the expansion of cropland continues, then carbon will be transferred from the natural ecosystem to the cropland. Regulation, support and cultural services in the basin continue to decrease. Due to the shortage of water resources in the basin, the growth of provisioning services is limited. (3) If the project of returning cropland to grassland is implemented, then the carbon in the natural ecosystem will gradually recover. The regulating, supporting and cultural services of the river basin are rising, but provisioning services are gradually decreasing. In general, the model based on energy systems language can reflect the ecological process within the system and effectively reveal the carbon flow process between ecosystems. The use of carbon to quantify ecosystem services can harmonize dimensions, facilitate comparisons, and mitigate errors in outcomes due to different evaluation criteria or subjective factors. Therefore, this study combines energy systems language with carbon flow, which helps to more rationally explore the impact of land use change on ecosystem services, thereby providing valuable information for river basin management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zihan Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, People's Republic of China; School of Natural Resources Science and Technology, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, People's Republic of China
| | - Weiguo Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, People's Republic of China; School of Natural Resources Science and Technology, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, People's Republic of China
| | - Hejie Wei
- College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, People's Republic of China
| | - Peng Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, People's Republic of China; School of Natural Resources Science and Technology, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiahui Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, People's Republic of China; School of Natural Resources Science and Technology, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhicheng Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, People's Republic of China; School of Natural Resources Science and Technology, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, People's Republic of China
| | - Sergio Ulgiati
- Department of Sciences and Technologies, Parthenope University, Napoli 80133, Italy; School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, People's Republic of China
| | - Weidong Kong
- Key Laboratory of Alpine Ecology and Biodiversity, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaobin Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, People's Republic of China; School of Natural Resources Science and Technology, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, People's Republic of China.
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81
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Waters CM, McDonald SE, Reseigh J, Grant R, Burnside DG. Insights on the relationship between total grazing pressure management and sustainable land management: key indicators to verify impacts. RANGELAND JOURNAL 2019. [DOI: 10.1071/rj19078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Demonstrating sustainable land management (SLM) requires an understanding of the linkages between grazing management and environmental stewardship. Grazing management practices that incorporate strategic periods of rest are promoted internationally as best practice. However, spatial and temporal trends in unmanaged feral (goat) and native (kangaroo) populations in the southern Australian rangelands can result land managers having, at times, control over less than half the grazing pressure, precluding the ability to rest pastures. Few empirical studies have examined the impacts of total grazing pressure (TGP) on biodiversity and resource condition, while the inability to manage grazing intensity at critical times may result in negative impacts on ground cover, changes in pasture species composition, increased rates of soil loss and reduce the ability for soils to store carbon. The widespread adoption of TGP control through exclusion fencing in the southern Australian rangelands has created unprecedented opportunities to manage total grazing pressure, although there is little direct evidence that this infrastructure leads to more sustainable land management. Here we identify several key indicators that are either outcome- or activity-based that could serve as a basis for verification of the impacts of TGP management. Since TGP is the basic determinant of the impact of herbivory on vegetation it follows that the ability for rangeland pastoral management to demonstrate SLM and environmental stewardship will rely on using evidence-based indicators to support environmental social licence to operate.
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82
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Does Grazing Matter for Soil Organic Carbon Sequestration in the Western North American Great Plains? Ecosystems 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s10021-018-0324-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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83
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Li G, Zhang Z, Shi L, Zhou Y, Yang M, Cao J, Wu S, Lei G. Effects of Different Grazing Intensities on Soil C, N, and P in an Alpine Meadow on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, China. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2018; 15:E2584. [PMID: 30463233 PMCID: PMC6266909 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph15112584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2018] [Revised: 11/14/2018] [Accepted: 11/15/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Inappropriate grazing management is one of the most common causes of grassland degradation, and thus, an assessment of soil properties under different grazing intensities is critical for understanding its effects on ecosystem nutrient cycling and for formulating appropriate management strategies. However, the responses of certain main elements, including soil carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus, to grazing in alpine meadow ecosystems remain insufficiently clarified. Here, we measured carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus contents in the topmost 30 cm of soil in an alpine meadow under three grazing intensities (light, moderate, and heavy) and found clear differences in soil physical and chemical properties among different grazing intensities and soil layers. As grazing intensity increased, soil water content, carbon and nitrogen contents and stocks, and carbon to phosphorus and nitrogen to phosphorus ratios decreased, whereas soil bulk density increased. However, soil phosphorus and carbon to nitrogen ratio remained stable. Our findings highlight the negative impacts of heavy grazing intensity, in terms of soil carbon and nitrogen loss and phosphorus mineralization. Moreover, we emphasize that further related studies are necessary to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the effects of grazing on grassland ecosystems, and thereby provide information for sustainable management practices and eco-compensation policies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gang Li
- School of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China.
- Department of Landscape Architecture, School of Biology and Food Engineering, Fuyang Normal University, Fuyang 236037, China.
| | - Zhi Zhang
- School of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China.
- Fuzhou Planing Design & Research Institute, Urban Research Center, Fuzhou 350108, China.
| | - Linlu Shi
- School of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China.
| | - Yan Zhou
- School of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China.
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, College of Biology and the Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China.
| | - Meng Yang
- School of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China.
- Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
| | - Jiaxi Cao
- School of Soil and Water Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China.
| | - Shuhong Wu
- School of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China.
| | - Guangchun Lei
- School of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China.
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84
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Sándor R, Ehrhardt F, Brilli L, Carozzi M, Recous S, Smith P, Snow V, Soussana JF, Dorich CD, Fuchs K, Fitton N, Gongadze K, Klumpp K, Liebig M, Martin R, Merbold L, Newton PCD, Rees RM, Rolinski S, Bellocchi G. The use of biogeochemical models to evaluate mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions from managed grasslands. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2018; 642:292-306. [PMID: 29902627 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.06.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2018] [Revised: 05/15/2018] [Accepted: 06/02/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Simulation models quantify the impacts on carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycling in grassland systems caused by changes in management practices. To support agricultural policies, it is however important to contrast the responses of alternative models, which can differ greatly in their treatment of key processes and in their response to management. We applied eight biogeochemical models at five grassland sites (in France, New Zealand, Switzerland, United Kingdom and United States) to compare the sensitivity of modelled C and N fluxes to changes in the density of grazing animals (from 100% to 50% of the original livestock densities), also in combination with decreasing N fertilization levels (reduced to zero from the initial levels). Simulated multi-model median values indicated that input reduction would lead to an increase in the C sink strength (negative net ecosystem C exchange) in intensive grazing systems: -64 ± 74 g C m-2 yr-1 (animal density reduction) and -81 ± 74 g C m-2 yr-1 (N and animal density reduction), against the baseline of -30.5 ± 69.5 g C m-2 yr-1 (LSU [livestock units] ≥ 0.76 ha-1 yr-1). Simulations also indicated a strong effect of N fertilizer reduction on N fluxes, e.g. N2O-N emissions decreased from 0.34 ± 0.22 (baseline) to 0.1 ± 0.05 g N m-2 yr-1 (no N fertilization). Simulated decline in grazing intensity had only limited impact on the N balance. The simulated pattern of enteric methane emissions was dominated by high model-to-model variability. The reduction in simulated offtake (animal intake + cut biomass) led to a doubling in net primary production per animal (increased by 11.6 ± 8.1 t C LSU-1 yr-1 across sites). The highest N2O-N intensities (N2O-N/offtake) were simulated at mown and extensively grazed arid sites. We show the possibility of using grassland models to determine sound mitigation practices while quantifying the uncertainties associated with the simulated outputs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renáta Sándor
- INRA, VetAgro Sup, UCA, Unité Mixte de Recherche sur l'Écosystème Prairial (UREP), 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France; Agricultural Institute, CAR HAS, 2462 Martonvásár, Hungary
| | | | - Lorenzo Brilli
- University of Florence, DISPAA, 50144 Florence, Italy; IBIMET-CNR, 50145 Florence, Italy
| | - Marco Carozzi
- Agroscope Research Station, Climate Agriculture Group, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Sylvie Recous
- FARE Laboratory, INRA, Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne, 51100 Reims, France
| | - Pete Smith
- Institute of Biological & Environmental Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB24 3UU, United Kingdom
| | - Val Snow
- AgResearch - Lincoln Research Centre, Private Bag 4749, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand
| | | | | | - Kathrin Fuchs
- Department of Environmental Systems Science, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, ETH Zürich, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Nuala Fitton
- Institute of Biological & Environmental Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB24 3UU, United Kingdom
| | - Kate Gongadze
- Rothamsted Research, Sustainable Soil and Grassland Systems Department, United Kingdom
| | - Katja Klumpp
- INRA, VetAgro Sup, UCA, Unité Mixte de Recherche sur l'Écosystème Prairial (UREP), 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | | | - Raphaël Martin
- INRA, VetAgro Sup, UCA, Unité Mixte de Recherche sur l'Écosystème Prairial (UREP), 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Lutz Merbold
- Department of Environmental Systems Science, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, ETH Zürich, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland; Mazingira Centre, International Livestock Research Institute, 00100 Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Paul C D Newton
- AgResearch Grasslands Research Centre, Private Bag 11008, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand
| | - Robert M Rees
- Scotland's Rural College, EH9 3JG Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Susanne Rolinski
- Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, 14473 Potsdam, Germany
| | - Gianni Bellocchi
- INRA, VetAgro Sup, UCA, Unité Mixte de Recherche sur l'Écosystème Prairial (UREP), 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France.
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85
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Short-Term Impacts of Livestock Grazing on Vegetation and Track Formation in a High Mountain Environment: A Case Study from the Himalayan Miyar Valley (India). SUSTAINABILITY 2018. [DOI: 10.3390/su10040951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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86
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Liu Z, Baoyin T, Duan J, Yang G, Sun J, Li X. Nutrient Characteristics in Relation to Plant Size of a Perennial Grass Under Grazing Exclusion in Degraded Grassland. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2018; 9:295. [PMID: 29593759 PMCID: PMC5857597 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2018.00295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2017] [Accepted: 02/21/2018] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Identifying the linkages between nutrient properties and plant size is important for reducing uncertainty in understanding the mechanisms of plant phenotypic plasticity. Although the positive effects of grazing exclusion on plant morphological plasticity has been well documented, surprisingly little is known about the relationship of nutrient strategies with plant shoot size after long-term grazing exclusion. We experimentally investigated the impacts of grazing exclusion over time (0, 9, 15, and 35 years) on the relationships of nutrient traits (nutrient concentration, allocation, and stoichiometry) of with morphological plasticity in Leymus chinensis, which is a dominant species in grasslands of Inner Mongolia, China. Our results showed that there was a significantly negative correlation between the degrees of plasticity and stability of various morphological traits. Increases in plant size by 126.41, 164.17, and 247.47% were observed with the increase of grazing exclusion time of 9, 15, and 35 years, respectively. Plant size was negatively correlated with nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) concentrations, but was positively correlated with carbon (C) concentration. Biomass partitioning and leaf to stem ratios of nutrient concentrations contributed more than 95% of the changes in N, P, and C allocation in L. chinensis leaves and stems induced by grazing exclusions. Nine years' grazing exclusion rapidly changed the nutrient concentrations (averaged by -34.84%), leaf to stem nutrient allocations (averaged by -86.75%), and ecological stoichiometry (averaged by +46.54%) compared to free-grazing, whereas there was no significant trend of these nutrient traits across the 9, 15, and 35 years' grazing exclusion in L. chinensis individuals. Our findings suggest that with the increase of the duration of the grazing exclusion, time effects on plant performances gradually weakened both in plant morphological plasticity and nutrient properties. There is a significant negative effect between plant sizes and nutrient traits under long-term grazing exclusion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiying Liu
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Ecology, School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, China
| | - Taogetao Baoyin
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Ecology, School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, China
| | - Junjie Duan
- National Forage Improvement Center, Institute of Grassland Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hohhot, China
| | - Guofeng Yang
- School of Life Sciences, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, China
| | - Juan Sun
- School of Animal Science and Technology, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, China
| | - Xiliang Li
- National Forage Improvement Center, Institute of Grassland Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hohhot, China
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Ecology and Restoration of the Ministry of Agriculture, Hohhot, China
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