Critical review of the impacts of grazing intensity on soil organic carbon storage and other soil quality indicators in extensively managed grasslands

Acknowledgements This work contributes to the N-Circle project (grant number BB/N013484/1), and CINAg (BB/N013468/1) Virtual Joint Centres on Agricultural Nitrogen (funded by the Newton Fund via UK BBSRC/NERC), U-GRASS (grant number NE/M016900/1), the Belmont Forum/FACCE-JPI DEVIL project (grant number NE/M021327/1), Soils-R-GGREAT (grant number NE/P019455/1), ADVENT (grant number NE/M019713/1), Sêr Cymru LCEE-NRN project, Climate-Smart Grass and the Scottish Government’s Strategic Research Programme.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Historical Analysis Exposes Catastrophic Seagrass Loss for the United Kingdom

The spatial extent of seagrass is poorly mapped, and knowledge of historical loss is limited. Here, we collated empirical and qualitative data using systematic review methods to provide unique analysis on seagrass occurrence and loss in the United Kingdom. We document 8,493 ha of recently mapped seagrass in the United Kingdom since 1998. This equates to an estimated 0.9 Mt of carbon, which, in the current carbon market represents about £22 million. Using simple models to estimate seagrass declines triangulated against habitat suitability models, we provide evidence of catastrophic seagrass loss; at least 44% of United Kingdom’s seagrasses have been lost since 1936, 39% since the 1980’s. However, losses over longer time spans may be as high as 92%. Based on these estimates, historical seagrass meadows could have stored 11.5 Mt of carbon and supported approximately 400 million fish. Our results demonstrate the vast scale of losses and highlight the opportunities to restore seagrass to support a range of ecosystems services

Canada Council's Killam Research Fellowships: Distribution of Awards 1968-84

An analysis of the distribution of Killam Research Fellowships awarded by Canada Council over a seventeen-year period reveals a pattern which is examined in relation to the distribution of applications from universities. The existing situation is discussed with reference to previous studies of peer review systems and to implications for Canadian research. Encouragement of increased participation across Canada is suggested as one possible concern for Canada Council policy.Les résultats d'une analyse de la répartition des bourses de chercheur-boursier de la fondation Killam, allouées par le Conseil des Arts du Canada sur une période de dix-sept années, et la répartition des demandes de bourses provenant de différentes universités ont fait l'objet d'une étude comparative. L'on discute de la situation actuellement par rapport à des études préalables sur les mécanismes d'évaluation par les pairs et leurs répercussions sur la recherche au Canada. On suggère que la politique du Conseil des Arts encourage, entre autres, une participation active et grandissante dans tout le Canada

The urine patch diffusional area: An important N2O source?

AbstractUrine patches contribute greatly to greenhouse gas emissions within livestock grazed ecosystems. The effective area of a ruminant urine patch comprises the wetted area, the diffusional area and the pasture response area. This study specifically assesses the importance of considering the diffusional area for monitoring urine patch N2O emissions. Spatial and temporal changes in N2O emissions and potential drivers of emissions (soil pH, EC, redox potential, dissolved organic carbon and nitrogen, NO3− and NH4+) were measured in sheep urine amended Eutric Cambisol mesocosms, maintained at 50% or 70% water-filled pore space (WFPS). At 70% WFPS, over 10 weeks, the emission factor (EF) was greater when considering the wetted area plus a 9 cm diffusional area (EF = 2.75 ± 0.72% of applied N) than when considering the wetted area alone (EF = 1.44 ± 0.30% of applied N); differences were not statistically significant at 50% WFPS. Redox potential, total extractable N and WFPS contributed significantly to the observed variation in daily N2O fluxes from the urine patch. We conclude that the urine patch diffusional area is an extremely important source of emissions from urine patches. This has implications when measuring EFs, as the lateral diffusion of solutes may be restricted by chamber walls resulting in an underestimate of N2O emissions, particularly at higher soil moisture contents. Site-specific assessments of the urine patch diffusional area should be made, and accounted for, prior to monitoring emissions and calculating emission factors from urine patches applied within chambers