Grazing intensity for enhanced resource use efficiency in integrated crop-livestock systems: Balancing soil carbon storage and food security.

Preserving natural resources while addressing global food demand is a critical responsibility of the agricultural sector. In light of this, strategically integrating domestic herbivores into crop monocultures is seen as a promising opportunity to generate additional income and improve the efficiency of food production. Our study presents long-term results from experimentation on Integrated Crop-Livestock Systems (ICLS), revealing its productive and environmental benefits.

Carbon Sequestration in Resin-Tapped Slash Pine ( Engelm.) Subtropical Plantations.

Every year more than 150,000 tons of resin used in a myriad of industrial applications are produced by Brazilian plantations of Engelm. (slash pine), which are also used for timber. A pine tree can be tapped for resin over a period of several years.

Mitigation of ammonia and greenhouse gases emissions from urea coated with oil shale residues in a silvopastoral system.

The objective of this work was to investigate the viability of using retorted oil shale as urea coating (U + ROS) in the decrease of N losses by ammonia (NH-N) volatilization. The experiment was carried out in a silvopastoral system with a randomized block design with split-plots. The main treatments consisted of spatial arrangements of the trees, while the subdivision of the plots constituted the surface application of common urea (U) and retorted oil shale-coated urea (U + ROS) for the pasture.

Diversity of rhizobia, symbiotic effectiveness, and potential of inoculation in Acacia mearnsii seedling production.

Black wattle (Acacia mearnsii) is a forest species of significant economic importance in southern Brazil; as a legume, it forms symbiotic associations with rhizobia, fixing atmospheric nitrogen. Nonetheless, little is known about native rhizobia in soils where the species is cultivated. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the diversity and symbiotic efficiency of rhizobia nodulating A.

Nitrous oxide and methane emissions from soil under integrated farming systems in southern Brazil.

This study aimed at evaluating soil nitrous oxide (NO) and methane (CH) emissions from integrated farming systems. Soil NO and CH fluxes were assessed in a subtropical Cambisol in southern Brazil, using manual static chambers, over two years, in five farming systems (cropland, livestock, integrated crop-livestock, integrated livestock-forestry, and integrated crop-livestock-forestry). The study was conducted in four growing seasons: summer-1, winter-1, summer-2, winter-2.

Greenhouse gas emissions and C costs of N release associated with cover crop decomposition are plant specific and depend on soil moisture: A microcosm study.

Cover cropping is used to improve soil quality and increase N inputs in agricultural systems, but it also may enhance greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions. Here, a 47-d incubation study was conducted to track the decomposition process and evaluate GHG emissions and its drivers and to calculate the C costs of residue-derived N released following the addition of residues from cover crops (pigeon pea, cowpea, lablab bean, vetch, and black oat) and maize under two water-filled pore space (WFPS) levels (40 and 70%). For both WFPS levels, the increase in cumulative CO fluxes in plots that received residues is mainly related with the increment of potentially mineralizable C.

Feed intake, methane yield, and efficiency of utilization of energy and nitrogen by sheep fed tropical grasses.

Forage allowance impacts dry matter (DM) intake and the use of nutrients by ruminants. The efficient use of protein and energy from pasture is related to better livestock performance and lower environmental impacts. The aims of this study were to evaluate the effect of forage allowance levels on intake, digestibility, nitrogen (N) and energy balance, and methane (CH) emissions by lambs fed fresh pearl millet [Pennisetum americanum (L.

'Rotatinuous' stocking as a climate-smart grazing management strategy for sheep production.

We aimed to evaluate the effect of different grazing management strategies on carcass characteristics traits, meat quality and CH intensity and yield of lambs grazing Italian ryegrass pastures in Southern Brazil. A grazing trial was performed (2014 and 2015) in a randomized complete block design with two grazing management targets and four replicates. Treatments were traditional rotational stocking (RT), with pre- and post-grazing sward heights of 25 and 5 cm, respectively, and 'Rotatinuous' stocking (RN), with pre- and post-grazing sward heights of 18 and 11 cm, respectively.

The conversion of grassland to acacia forest as an effective option for net reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of forestation with leguminous Acacia mearnsii De Wild in native grasslands on the soil greenhouse (GHG) fluxes and their main driving factors. The experiment was conducted in the Brazilian Pampa over the period of one year in a six-year-old Acacia plantation, evaluating four treatments: Acacia (AM), Acacia with litter periodically removed (A-l), Acacia after harvest (AH) and native grassland (NG) (reference treatment). Air samples were obtained by the static chamber method, and gas concentrations were evaluated by gas chromatography.

In situ methane and nitrous oxide fluxes in soil from a transect in Hennequin Point, King George Island, Antarctic.

The study aimed at to determine the magnitude of the methane (CH(4)) and nitrous oxide (N(2)O) flux rates in soils at Hennequin Point, King George Island, Antarctic, under different slope positions, vegetal covers and presence of skuas, as well as to evaluate the main soil and climate factors that are involved with the flux of such gases. In situ gas sampling (closed chamber method) was performed in four sites along a transect involving a skua nesting field in a moraine with 5% and 100% of surface covered by vegetal, and two poor-drained soils in the toeslope (a bare alluvium soil and a poor-drained moss field with 100% soil cover). Flux rates ranged from -0.

Potential of carbon accumulation in no-till soils with intensive use and cover crops in southern Brazil.

The area under no-till (NT) in Brazil reached 22 million ha in 2004-2005, of which approximately 45% was located in the southern states. From the 1970s to the mid-1980s, this region was a source of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere due to decrease of soil carbon (C) stocks and high consumption of fuel by intensive tillage. Since then, NT has partially restored the soil C lost and reduced the consumption of fossil fuels.