Grazing Intensity Accelerates Surface Soil C and N Cycling in Alpine Pastures as Revealed by Soil Genes and δ 15 N Ratio

Salvatore Raniolo (), Luca Da Ros, Laura Maretto, Damiano Gianelle, Federica Camin, Luana Bontempo, Piergiorgio Stevanato, Enrico Sturaro, Andrea Squartini and Mirco Rodeghiero
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Salvatore Raniolo: Department of Agronomy Food Natural Resources Animals and Environment (DAFNAE), University of Padova, Viale dell’Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, PD, Italy
Luca Da Ros: Competence Centre for Mountain Innovation Ecosystems, Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, Piazza Universitá/Universitätsplatz 1, 39100 Bolzano/Bozen, Italy
Laura Maretto: Department of Agronomy Food Natural Resources Animals and Environment (DAFNAE), University of Padova, Viale dell’Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, PD, Italy
Damiano Gianelle: Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, 38098 San Michele all’Adige, TN, Italy
Federica Camin: Agriculture Food Environment Centre (C3A), University of Trento, 38098 San Michele all’Adige, TN, Italy
Luana Bontempo: Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, 38098 San Michele all’Adige, TN, Italy
Piergiorgio Stevanato: Department of Agronomy Food Natural Resources Animals and Environment (DAFNAE), University of Padova, Viale dell’Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, PD, Italy
Enrico Sturaro: Department of Agronomy Food Natural Resources Animals and Environment (DAFNAE), University of Padova, Viale dell’Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, PD, Italy
Andrea Squartini: Department of Agronomy Food Natural Resources Animals and Environment (DAFNAE), University of Padova, Viale dell’Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, PD, Italy
Mirco Rodeghiero: Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, 38098 San Michele all’Adige, TN, Italy

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 5, 1-20

Abstract: European grasslands are vital carbon (C) sinks, contributing to climate change mitigation. Grazing intensity significantly influences soil C and nitrogen (N) cycles through effects on soil conditions and microbial communities. While heavy grazing is linked to soil C loss and altered N processes, existing studies show conflicting outcomes. This study examines the impact of cattle grazing on soil C and N cycles in a historical alpine pasture in the eastern Italian Alps (1868 m a.s.l.). The following three grazing intensities were analyzed: heavy (8.19 LU ha −1 ), moderate (0.59 LU ha −1 ), and light (0.06 LU ha −1 ). Soil was sampled from two depth layers (0–5 cm, 5–10 cm) and analyzed for bulk density, C and N content, C/N ratio, exchangeable N, δ 15 N, and microbial genes targeting general abundance (16S), N fixation ( nifH ), nitrification ( amoA ), and denitrification ( nirK , nosZ ) using real-time PCR. The results revealed decreased C and N concentrations with increasing grazing intensity, exclusively in the 0–5 cm soil layer. Higher δ 15 N and enhanced nitrification and denitrification suggest a more open N cycle under heavy grazing. These findings highlight the potential of microbial gene markers and δ 15 N isotopic ratios to monitor N cycle dynamics in alpine pastures, informing sustainable grazing management.

Keywords: grazing intensity; soil N; soil C stock; N cycle; soil genes (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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