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Linking Predation Risk, Herbivore Physiological Stress and Microbial Decomposition of Plant Litter
Published on: March 12, 2013
Intensive cattle grazing affects pasture litter-fall: an unrecognized nitrous oxide source
Pranoy Pal1, Tim J Clough, Francis M Kelliher
1Department of Soil and Physical Sciences, Lincoln University, Lincoln, New Zealand. Pranoy.pal@lincolnuni.ac.nz
Journal of Environmental Quality
|February 29, 2012
Summary
Dairy cattle grazing creates litter-fall, a source of nitrous oxide (NO) emissions not covered by IPCC guidelines. This study quantifies litter-fall rates and NO emission factors for pasture species, suggesting a need for further assessment in grazed ecosystems.
Area of Science:
- Agricultural Science
- Environmental Science
- Soil Science
Background:
- Grazing dairy cattle deposit harvested plant material (litter-fall) onto soil surfaces.
- Current Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) guidelines address NO emissions from pasture renewal but not from litter-fall.
- Litter-fall represents a potentially overlooked source of nitrogen (N) and nitrous oxide (NO) emissions in grazed pastures.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify litter-fall rates in intensively managed dairy pastures under rotational grazing.
- To assess indicative NO emission factors (EFs) for dominant pasture species: perennial ryegrass and white clover.
- To estimate the contribution of litter-fall to NO emissions in grazed systems.
Main Methods:
- Herbage was collected before and after 30 grazing events from dairy pastures.
- Laboratory incubation studies were conducted to measure NO emissions from pasture species under controlled soil moisture conditions.
- Dry matter yields and litter-fall rates (fresh and senesced) were determined.
Main Results:
- Postgrazing litter-fall rates averaged 53 kg DM ha (fresh) and 19 kg DM ha (senesced).
- Annual litter-fall contributed approximately 16 kg N ha yr to the soil.
- Laboratory EFs for perennial ryegrass and white clover ranged from 0.7% to 3.1%, potentially leading to 0.3 kg NO ha yr from litter-fall.
Conclusions:
- Litter-fall is a significant source of N input in grazed pastures.
- The study provides indicative NO emission factors for key pasture species.
- Litter-fall's role in NO emissions from grazed pastures warrants further investigation and potential inclusion in climate change mitigation strategies.
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