Grassland–Cropping Rotations: An Avenue for Agricultural Diversification to Reconcile High Production with Environmental Quality

Summary

This review argues that negative environmental impacts of modern agriculture stem more from simplification and specialisation than from inherent limits to productivity. The authors propose that integrated crop-livestock systems incorporating grassland-cropping rotations (sod-based rotations) can reconcile high food production with environmental quality by leveraging grassland ecosystems' capacity to couple carbon and nitrogen cycles through soil-microbial-plant interactions. Long-term experimental evidence suggests such systems can sequester soil carbon and reduce nitrogen emissions whilst maintaining intensive cropping periods.

Regional applicability

The findings are broadly applicable to United Kingdom mixed farming systems, where grassland-arable rotations remain common and there is policy emphasis on soil health and nutrient management. The potential for ley rotations to reduce nitrogen losses is particularly relevant to UK water quality regulations and agricultural support schemes incentivising integrated farming.

Key measures

Soil carbon sequestration, nitrogen emissions to atmosphere and hydrosphere, production intensity, environmental impact indicators across field, farm, landscape and regional scales

Outcomes reported

The study analysed the capacity of grassland ecosystems in rotation systems to mitigate environmental impacts of intensive arable cropping through effects on carbon and nitrogen cycling. It examined various grassland management options (grazing, cutting, ley duration) and their trade-offs between production and environmental quality.

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