Grazing Management on soil carbon
Grazing management involves manipulating the intensity and timing, frequency and duration (method) of grazing, and is associated with improvements in soil health, ecosystem services, and economic benefits.
Grazing management may increase soil organic carbon by increasing pasture productivity and root allocation, changing pasture composition (promoting deep-rooted perennial species or promoting nitrogen input from legumes), altering soil physical and chemical properties, and reducing loss of carbon (via erosion) by maintaining ground cover.
In Australia, the majority of scientific research reports no significant impact of grazing intensity or method on soil organic carbon, but research shows there is potential for grazing management to influence key drivers of soil carbon sequestration in grazing systems.
Key takeaways
- There is little conclusive evidence that grazing management (intensity or method) directly influences soil carbon in Australia.
- This may be a result of the influence of climate, soil type and pasture composition, which play a major role in changes to soil carbon. Research on soil carbon is complex due to these influences but studies in Australia are ongoing.
- However, grazing intensity and method can impact key drivers of carbon sequestration, such as above and below ground biomass, groundcover, soil structure and soil nitrogen.
- The other benefits that flow from manipulating grazing, such as improved pasture productivity, groundcover or soil nitrogen, may be significant for producers.
See the fact sheet for more information
Other resources
Grazing management for soil carbon in Australia: A review
Rangeland Living Skin Project: Final Report
- Bokhara Plains emissions report
- Gurrawarra emissions report
- Etiwanda emissions report
- Wyndham emissions report
Case studies