Pulse Brain · Growing Health Evidence Index
Tier 4 — Narrative / commentaryIndustry / policy reportConventional

Soil health and carbon capture in multi-species swards

Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board

Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board · 2026

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Summary

This AHDB knowledge synthesis integrates peer-reviewed and grey literature to examine how botanical diversity in grassland swards influences soil carbon capture and soil biological health in United Kingdom grazing systems. As a practitioner-oriented evidence synthesis, it bridges the evidence–practice gap by translating research findings into actionable guidance for grazing managers. The work identifies mechanistic pathways linking plant diversity to soil carbon dynamics and recommends sward composition strategies tailored to temperate grassland conditions.

Regional applicability

This synthesis is directly applicable to United Kingdom grazing practice and policy, as it explicitly addresses temperate grassland swards and draws on evidence relevant to UK farming conditions. The findings and recommendations are intended for UK grazing managers and land stewards.

Key measures

Soil carbon dynamics, soil biological health indicators, plant species composition, sward botanical diversity

Outcomes reported

The synthesis examines relationships between botanical diversity in grassland swards and soil carbon capture and soil biological health metrics. It synthesises peer-reviewed and grey literature to identify mechanistic pathways and recommend sward composition strategies for temperate grazing systems.

Theme
Farming systems, soils & land use
Subject
Soil carbon & organic matter
Study type
Narrative Review
Study design
Narrative review / Evidence synthesis
Source type
Industry/policy report
Status
Published
Geography
United Kingdom
System type
Pasture-based livestock
Catalogue ID
IRmqf5q0dv-34cb47

Topic tags

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