GRAZING INTENSITY AND SOIL NITROGEN ACCUMULATION

Abstract

The balance between the litter and animal excreta pathways was varied by imposing a range of sheep grazing intensities on a dryland ryegrass-white clover pasture for 3 years. In contrast to laxly grazed treatments, hard grazed treatments lost soil carbon and nitrogen. Greatest overall losses occurred in the driest year, and lowest losses occurred in years of greatest pasture growth. The importance of allowing some litter cycling, by avoiding continual hard grazing is discussed. Keywords: N-fixation, soil nitrogen, grazing, carbon, balance, litter, pasture.