Can pasture-fed livestock farming practices improve the ecological condition of grassland in Great Britain?
Can pasture-fed livestock farming practices improve the ecological condition of grassland in Great Britain?
复制标题
牧场饲养的畜牧业实践能否改善英国草原的生态状况？
DOI：
10.1002/2688-8319.12191
复制
发表时间：
2022
影响因子：
2.9
通讯作者：
Norton L
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Norton L
英国（GB）的畜牧业面临多重压力。然而，为牲畜管理的草地是GB中最广泛的栖息地，是文化景观及其生物多样性和土壤健康的关键。本研究分析了来自GB农村调查（CS）的940多个大型（200 m2）中性（农业半改良）和（农业）改良草地地块的全国代表性数据集，以评估关键草地草地和土壤变量之间的关系。分析还研究了这些变量如何随着时间的推移而变化，因为这些草地类型之间的地块切换。通过比较由美国畜牧业协会（PFLA）管理的草地样地的数据和CS样地的数据，评估他们的做法对这些变量的影响。CS样地中性草地类型的植物物种丰富度与土壤无脊椎动物总丰度（总类群）和土壤N和C呈正相关，与土壤P呈负相关。PFLA成员农场的草地草地具有中性草地的特征。PFLA样地比改良草地物种丰富，豆科和杂类植物种类多，多年生黑麦草比例低。植被高度是更大的PFLA地块比CS地块无论是改良或中性草地。与CS中性草地样地不同，PFLA样地的土壤性质与改良草地的任何测量变量（土壤碳浓度[C]、容重、pH、氮[N]、磷[P]）均无显著差异。PFLA植物群落具有较高的物种丰富度和较高的植被高度，有利于生物多样性。缺乏与PFLA草地（相对于CS草地）中记录的较高物种丰富度相关的土壤健康的积极措施，可能反映了土壤对管理的反应存在时间滞后，这一点通过分析土地利用变化对CS地块特征的影响得到了证明。我们的研究结果表明，牧场饲养牲畜的方法可能对草原和更广泛的生态系统有益。
Livestock farming in Great Britain (GB) faces multiple pressures. Yet, grassland managed for livestock is the most extensive habitat in GB and is key to cultural landscapes and their biodiversity and soil health.This study analysed a nationally representative dataset of over 940 large (200 m2) Neutral (agriculturally semi‐improved) and (agriculturally) Improved Grassland plots from the GB Countryside Survey (CS) to assess relationships between key grassland sward and soil variables. Analysis also looked at how these variables changed over time as plots switched between these grassland types. Data from grassland plots managed by Pasture‐Fed Livestock Association (PFLA) farmers were compared to CS plot data to assess the impacts of their practices on these variables.Plant species richness in Neutral grassland types in CS plots was positively associated with total soil invertebrate abundance (total taxa) and soil N and C and negatively associated with soil P. There were negative relationships between the covers ofLoliumsp. (Neutral only), legumes and forbs and soil C and moisture variables.Grassland swards on PFLA member farms were characteristic of Neutral grassland. PFLA plots were more species rich and contained more legume and forb species and lower proportions ofLolium perennethan those on Improved Grassland. Vegetation height was greater in PFLA plots than in CS plots of either Improved or Neutral Grassland. Unlike CS Neutral Grassland plots, soil properties in PFLA plots were not significantly different from those for Improved Grassland for any measured variable (soil carbon concentration [C], bulk density, pH, nitrogen [N], phosphorus [P]).Higher species richness in grasslands is associated with positive measures of soil health. PFLA plant communities contain relatively high species richness and tall vegetation, which is positive for biodiversity. Lack of positive measures of soil health associated with higher species richness recorded in PFLA grassland (as opposed to CS grassland) may reflect time lags in soil responses to management, as evidenced through an analysis of the impacts of land‐use change over time on CS plot characteristics. Our findings indicate that pasture‐fed livestock approaches may be beneficial for grassland and wider ecosystems.