Summary
This multi-country field study examined the relationship between pasture degradation (measured as vegetative cover) and nitrous oxide emissions from cattle urine under rainy season conditions across five Latin American and Caribbean nations. The researchers found that adequate vegetative cover substantially reduced N₂O emissions compared to degraded pastures with low cover, suggesting that proper pasture management practices could mitigate livestock-related greenhouse gas losses. The findings provide emission factors specific to low and adequate cover conditions, offering practical guidance for estimating and reducing urine-based N₂O from grazed systems in tropical and subtropical regions.
UK applicability
Whilst this study focuses on Latin American and Caribbean conditions with rainy season dynamics, the underlying mechanism—that adequate vegetative cover reduces N₂O losses from urine patches—may be relevant to UK grassland management. However, UK pastures typically experience different rainfall patterns, soil types, and management intensities, so direct application of the emission factors would require validation under temperate conditions.
Key measures
Cumulative rainy season N₂O emissions (kg N₂O-N ha⁻¹), urine-N emission factors (%), soil N₂O measured using closed static chambers and gas chromatography
Outcomes reported
The study quantified nitrous oxide emissions from simulated cattle urine patches on degraded versus 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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