Summary
This multi-site field study across Latin America and the Caribbean demonstrates that adequate vegetative cover in grazed pastures substantially reduces nitrous oxide emissions from cattle urine during rainy season conditions. Degraded pastures with low plant cover emitted approximately 73% more N₂O than adequately vegetated pastures (3.31 versus 1.91 kg N₂O-N ha⁻¹). The findings suggest that pasture restoration and maintenance of sufficient vegetation cover represents a practical, on-farm greenhouse gas mitigation strategy for livestock production systems.
UK applicability
Whilst conducted in tropical and subtropical conditions, the underlying mechanisms linking vegetation cover to soil N₂O emissions are broadly applicable to UK grassland systems. However, the magnitude of emission reductions and optimal vegetation cover thresholds may differ under cooler, temperate climates and different rainfall patterns, requiring UK-specific validation.
Key measures
Nitrous oxide emissions (kg N₂O-N ha⁻¹); pasture vegetation cover percentage; seasonal rainfall conditions
Outcomes reported
The study measured nitrous oxide emissions from cattle urine deposited on grazed pastures under different vegetation cover conditions during the rainy season across multiple Latin American and Caribbean sites. Results quantified the emission reduction potential achieved through adequate vegetative cover maintenance.
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