Measuring and modelling soil carbon stocks and stock changes in livestock production systems
Grazed livestock production systems are an integral part of the cultural, social and economic identity of many nations worldwide. Key agricultural commodities such as milk and meat come from ruminant (cud-chewing) animals, predominantly cows, goats and sheep. Soil properties, particular soil organic matter (SOM) content, may be affected directly when livestock graze on grassland; pastures and/or rangelands or indirectly when land is used for feed crop production. SOM content is measured as density of soil organic carbon (SOC). Indeed, there is a strong negative correlation between land use intensity and SOC. The focus of these guidelines is on measuring and modelling SOC stocks, as well as monitoring SOC changes in response to management practices in grasslands and rangelands. The methodology strives to increase understanding of carbon sequestration and to facilitate improvement of livestock systems’ environmental performance. A set of methods and approaches are recommended to be used by individual farmers, pastoralist, or land managers, or by those undertaking life cycle assessment studies, policy makers or regulators at local, regional or national scales.
| Format: | Brochure, flyer, fact-sheet biblioteca |
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| Language: | English |
| Published: |
FAO ;
2019
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| Online Access: | https://openknowledge.fao.org/handle/20.500.14283/CA5664EN http://www.fao.org/3/ca5664en/ca5664en.pdf |
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| Summary: | Grazed livestock production systems are an integral part of the cultural, social and economic identity of many nations worldwide. Key agricultural commodities such as milk and meat come from ruminant (cud-chewing) animals, predominantly cows, goats and sheep.
Soil properties, particular soil organic matter (SOM) content, may be affected directly when livestock graze on grassland; pastures and/or rangelands or indirectly when land is used for feed crop production. SOM content is measured as density of soil organic carbon (SOC). Indeed, there is a strong negative correlation between land use intensity and SOC.
The focus of these guidelines is on measuring and modelling SOC stocks, as well as monitoring SOC changes in response to management practices in grasslands and rangelands. The methodology strives to increase understanding of carbon sequestration and to facilitate improvement of livestock systems’ environmental performance. A set of methods and approaches are recommended to be used by individual farmers, pastoralist, or land managers, or by those undertaking life cycle assessment studies, policy makers or regulators at local, regional or national scales. |
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