The role of ruminants in reducing agriculture's carbon footprint in North America
| Autor: | Urs P. Kreuter, R. Conser, Rattan Lal, J. Hatfeld, Mark A. Rasmussen, Fugui Wang, Christian A. Davies, Steven I. Apfelbaum, J. E. Rowntree, W.R. Teague, Tong Wang, Peter Byck |
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| Rok vydání: | 2016 |
| Předmět: |
010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences
Agroforestry business.industry Conservation agriculture Soil Science 04 agricultural and veterinary sciences Soil carbon Carbon sequestration 01 natural sciences Tillage Ecological resilience Agriculture Greenhouse gas 040103 agronomy & agriculture Carbon footprint 0401 agriculture forestry and fisheries Environmental science business Agronomy and Crop Science 0105 earth and related environmental sciences Nature and Landscape Conservation Water Science and Technology |
| Zdroj: | Journal of Soil and Water Conservation. 71:156-164 |
| ISSN: | 1941-3300 0022-4561 |
| DOI: | 10.2489/jswc.71.2.156 |
| Popis: | Owing to the methane (CH4) produced by rumen fermentation, ruminants are a source of greenhouse gas (GHG) and are perceived as a problem. We propose that with appropriate regenerative crop and grazing management, ruminants not only reduce overall GHG emissions, but also facilitate provision of essential ecosystem services, increase soil carbon (C) sequestration, and reduce environmental damage. We tested our hypothesis by examining biophysical impacts and the magnitude of all GHG emissions from key agricultural production activities, including comparisons of arable- and pastoral-based agroecosystems. Our assessment shows that globally, GHG emissions from domestic ruminants represent 11.6% (1.58 Gt C y−1) of total anthropogenic emissions, while cropping and soil-associated emissions contribute 13.7% (1.86 Gt C y−1). The primary source is soil erosion (1 Gt C y−1), which in the United States alone is estimated at 1.72 Gt of soil y−1. Permanent cover of forage plants is highly effective in reducing soil erosion, and ruminants consuming only grazed forages under appropriate management result in more C sequestration than emissions. Incorporating forages and ruminants into regeneratively managed agroecosystems can elevate soil organic C, improve soil ecological function by minimizing the damage of tillage and inorganic fertilizers and biocides, and enhance biodiversity and wildlife habitat. We conclude that to ensure long-term sustainability and ecological resilience of agroecosystems, agricultural production should be guided by policies and regenerative management protocols that include ruminant grazing. Collectively, conservation agriculture supports ecologically healthy, resilient agroecosystems and simultaneously mitigates large quantities of anthropogenic GHG emissions. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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