Summary
This field study compared degraded permanent grasslands with improved grasslands managed under rotational grazing in Colombia's Orinoquía region, measuring both soil carbon stocks and nitrous oxide emissions. Improved grasslands with Urochloa humidicola demonstrated significantly higher SOC accumulation (2.0 Mg C ha⁻¹ y⁻¹ at 0–20 cm depth) and substantially lower N₂O emissions (10-fold reduction) compared to unimproved native pastures. The findings suggest that pasture improvement combining rotational grazing and deep-rooted grass species offers potential for land-based greenhouse gas removal whilst mitigating emission hotspots.
Regional applicability
Whilst this study is specific to tropical savanna conditions in Colombia, the mechanisms identified—deep-rooted grasses promoting SOC accumulation and biological nitrification inhibition reducing N₂O emissions—may be partially transferable to UK temperate grassland systems. However, climate, soil types, and forage species differ substantially; UK application would require local field validation and may favour different grass and legume combinations suited to cooler, wetter conditions.
Key measures
Soil organic carbon stocks (0–100 cm depth); N₂O emissions from simulated urine deposition over 21 days; soil chemical and physical properties; forage dry matter production
Outcomes reported
The study measured soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks and nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions from urine deposition in degraded permanent grasslands (PG) versus improved grasslands (IG) managed with rotational grazing of Urochloa humidicola in the Orinoquía region. Key findings included SOC accumulation rates, emission reductions, and the mechanisms driving these changes.
Topic tags
Dig deeper with Pulse AI.
Pulse AI has read the whole catalogue. Ask about this record, its theme, or how the findings apply to UK farming and policy — every answer cites the underlying studies.