Summary
This multi-country field study demonstrates that adequate vegetative cover in grazed pastures substantially reduces nitrous oxide emissions from cattle urine during rainy seasons. Across five Latin American and Caribbean locations, degraded pastures with low vegetative cover exhibited 73% higher cumulative N₂O emissions and 133% higher emission factors compared to adequately vegetated pastures. The findings suggest that pasture management strategies promoting vegetative cover represent a practical mitigation approach for reducing greenhouse gas losses from grazing systems.
UK applicability
UK grassland systems differ climatically and in management intensity from the tropical and subtropical conditions studied, yet the underlying principle—that vegetative cover reduces urine-N losses—likely applies to UK temperate pastures during wet seasons. The specific emission factors may not be directly transferable, but the management implication (maintaining adequate sward density) aligns with existing UK grassland best practice guidance.
Key measures
Cumulative N₂O emissions (kg N₂O-N ha⁻¹); urine-N emission factors (%); soil N₂O measured by closed static chambers and gas chromatography
Outcomes reported
The study quantified nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions from simulated cattle urine patches in paired degraded and non-degraded pastures across five Latin American and Caribbean countries during the rainy season. Regional cumulative N₂O emissions and emission factors were compared between low and adequate vegetative cover pastures.
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