Summary
Mitigation practices for nitrogen leaching losses from livestock agriculture are needed to protect freshwater quality and increase the efficiency of agricultural production. Within New Zealand, the most common pasture type is a two-species mix of perennial ryegrass ( Lolium perenne ) and white clover ( Trifolium repens ). Ecological theory suggests that increasing species and functional diversity improves ecosystem function, including nitrogen (N) retention. Use of more diverse pasture types, including a mix of pasture grasses, legumes and other forbs, particularly plantain ( Plantago lanceolata ), with functional traits, including winter activity, deep-rooting, N fixation, and biological inhibition of nitrification in the soil, is a potential mitigation practice that requires further veri
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