Amping up soil carbon: soil carbon stocks in California rangelands under adaptive multi-paddock and conventional grazing management
Adaptive multi-paddock (AMP) grazing is gaining attention for its potential to increase soil organic carbon (SOC), yet its efficacy on arid and semi-arid rangelands remains debated. Given the adaptive nature of AMP, on-ranch studies are essential for measuring its applied outcomes. To assess AMP’s i...
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| Language: | English |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2025-12-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability |
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| Online Access: | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/14735903.2025.2461826 |
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| author | Paige Stanley Leslie Roche Timothy Bowles |
| author_facet | Paige Stanley Leslie Roche Timothy Bowles |
| author_sort | Paige Stanley |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Adaptive multi-paddock (AMP) grazing is gaining attention for its potential to increase soil organic carbon (SOC), yet its efficacy on arid and semi-arid rangelands remains debated. Given the adaptive nature of AMP, on-ranch studies are essential for measuring its applied outcomes. To assess AMP’s impact on Mediterranean California rangelands, we collected 1,440 soil samples from four paired AMP and conventional (CONV) grazing sites across northern California. Three AMP ranches had significantly greater SOC stocks in surface soils (17% greater SOC at 0–10 cm), and two had greater SOC stocks to 100 cm (32% greater), compared to CONV ranches. The largest SOC differences occurred in the mineral-associated organic matter fraction, suggesting longer-term SOC storage. While plant community composition did not differ significantly, AMP ranches, on average, had slightly less bare ground, greater live plant cover, and two sites had 82% greater perennial grass cover. These factors may have contributed to SOC differences. Further research is needed to understand site-specific constraints, underlying mechanisms, and SOC changes over time under AMP grazing. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-a5bbfafc5a564ba48f97ba936fda2be1 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1473-5903 1747-762X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-12-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability |
| spelling | doaj-art-a5bbfafc5a564ba48f97ba936fda2be12025-08-20T02:30:01ZengTaylor & Francis GroupInternational Journal of Agricultural Sustainability1473-59031747-762X2025-12-0123110.1080/14735903.2025.2461826Amping up soil carbon: soil carbon stocks in California rangelands under adaptive multi-paddock and conventional grazing managementPaige Stanley0Leslie Roche1Timothy Bowles2Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USADepartment of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USADepartment of Environmental Science, Policy and Management, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USAAdaptive multi-paddock (AMP) grazing is gaining attention for its potential to increase soil organic carbon (SOC), yet its efficacy on arid and semi-arid rangelands remains debated. Given the adaptive nature of AMP, on-ranch studies are essential for measuring its applied outcomes. To assess AMP’s impact on Mediterranean California rangelands, we collected 1,440 soil samples from four paired AMP and conventional (CONV) grazing sites across northern California. Three AMP ranches had significantly greater SOC stocks in surface soils (17% greater SOC at 0–10 cm), and two had greater SOC stocks to 100 cm (32% greater), compared to CONV ranches. The largest SOC differences occurred in the mineral-associated organic matter fraction, suggesting longer-term SOC storage. While plant community composition did not differ significantly, AMP ranches, on average, had slightly less bare ground, greater live plant cover, and two sites had 82% greater perennial grass cover. These factors may have contributed to SOC differences. Further research is needed to understand site-specific constraints, underlying mechanisms, and SOC changes over time under AMP grazing.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/14735903.2025.2461826Adaptive multi-paddock grazingCalifornia rangelandssoil carbon sequestrationsoil organic matter fractionsplant community compositiongrazing management |
| spellingShingle | Paige Stanley Leslie Roche Timothy Bowles Amping up soil carbon: soil carbon stocks in California rangelands under adaptive multi-paddock and conventional grazing management International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability Adaptive multi-paddock grazing California rangelands soil carbon sequestration soil organic matter fractions plant community composition grazing management |
| title | Amping up soil carbon: soil carbon stocks in California rangelands under adaptive multi-paddock and conventional grazing management |
| title_full | Amping up soil carbon: soil carbon stocks in California rangelands under adaptive multi-paddock and conventional grazing management |
| title_fullStr | Amping up soil carbon: soil carbon stocks in California rangelands under adaptive multi-paddock and conventional grazing management |
| title_full_unstemmed | Amping up soil carbon: soil carbon stocks in California rangelands under adaptive multi-paddock and conventional grazing management |
| title_short | Amping up soil carbon: soil carbon stocks in California rangelands under adaptive multi-paddock and conventional grazing management |
| title_sort | amping up soil carbon soil carbon stocks in california rangelands under adaptive multi paddock and conventional grazing management |
| topic | Adaptive multi-paddock grazing California rangelands soil carbon sequestration soil organic matter fractions plant community composition grazing management |
| url | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/14735903.2025.2461826 |
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