Characterizing Livestock Production in Portuguese Sown Rainfed Grasslands: Applying the Inverse Approach to a Process-Based Model

Tiago G. Morais, Ricardo F. M. Teixeira, Nuno R. Rodrigues and Tiago Domingos
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Tiago G. Morais: MARETEC—Marine, Environment and Technology Centre, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal
Ricardo F. M. Teixeira: MARETEC—Marine, Environment and Technology Centre, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal
Nuno R. Rodrigues: Terraprima—Serviços Ambientais, Sociedade Unipessoal, Lda, 2135-199 Samora Correia, Portugal

Sustainability, 2018, vol. 10, issue 12, 1-21

Abstract: Grasslands are a crucial resource that supports animal grazing and provides other ecosystem services. We estimated the main properties of Portuguese sown biodiverse permanent pastures rich in legumes (SBP) starting from measured data for soil organic carbon (SOC) and using the Rothamsted Carbon Model. Starting from a dataset of SOC, aboveground production (AGP) and stocking rates (SR) in SBP, we used an inverse approach to estimate root to shoot (RS) ratios, livestock dung (LD), livestock intake (LI) and the ratio between easily decomposable and resistant plant material. Results for the best fit show that AGP and belowground productivity is approximately the same (RS is equal to 0.96). Animals consume 61% of the AGP, which is within the acceptable range of protein and energy intake. Carbon inputs from dung are also within the range found in the literature (1.53 t C/livestock unit). Inputs from litter are equally distributed between decomposable and resistant material. We applied these parameters in RothC for a dataset from different sites that only comprises SOC to calculate AGP and SR. AGP and SR were consistently lower in this case, because these pastures did not receive adequate technical support. These results highlight the mechanisms for carbon sequestration in SBP.

Keywords: soil organic matter; soil organic carbon; ecosystem services; RothC; modelling; optimization algorithms; extensive livestock production; industrial ecology (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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