IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v10y2018i12p4437-d185819.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Characterizing Livestock Production in Portuguese Sown Rainfed Grasslands: Applying the Inverse Approach to a Process-Based Model

Author

Listed:
  • Tiago G. Morais

    (MARETEC—Marine, Environment and Technology Centre, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal)

  • Ricardo F. M. Teixeira

    (MARETEC—Marine, Environment and Technology Centre, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal)

  • Nuno R. Rodrigues

    (Terraprima—Serviços Ambientais, Sociedade Unipessoal, Lda, 2135-199 Samora Correia, Portugal)

  • Tiago Domingos

    (MARETEC—Marine, Environment and Technology Centre, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal)

Abstract

Grasslands are a crucial resource that supports animal grazing and provides other ecosystem services. We estimated the main properties of Portuguese sown biodiverse permanent pastures rich in legumes (SBP) starting from measured data for soil organic carbon (SOC) and using the Rothamsted Carbon Model. Starting from a dataset of SOC, aboveground production (AGP) and stocking rates (SR) in SBP, we used an inverse approach to estimate root to shoot (RS) ratios, livestock dung (LD), livestock intake (LI) and the ratio between easily decomposable and resistant plant material. Results for the best fit show that AGP and belowground productivity is approximately the same (RS is equal to 0.96). Animals consume 61% of the AGP, which is within the acceptable range of protein and energy intake. Carbon inputs from dung are also within the range found in the literature (1.53 t C/livestock unit). Inputs from litter are equally distributed between decomposable and resistant material. We applied these parameters in RothC for a dataset from different sites that only comprises SOC to calculate AGP and SR. AGP and SR were consistently lower in this case, because these pastures did not receive adequate technical support. These results highlight the mechanisms for carbon sequestration in SBP.

Suggested Citation

  • Tiago G. Morais & Ricardo F. M. Teixeira & Nuno R. Rodrigues & Tiago Domingos, 2018. "Characterizing Livestock Production in Portuguese Sown Rainfed Grasslands: Applying the Inverse Approach to a Process-Based Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-21, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:12:p:4437-:d:185819
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/10/12/4437/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/10/12/4437/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Smit, H.J. & Metzger, M.J. & Ewert, F., 2008. "Spatial distribution of grassland productivity and land use in Europe," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 98(3), pages 208-219, October.
    2. Tiago G. Morais & Ricardo F. M. Teixeira & Nuno R. Rodrigues & Tiago Domingos, 2018. "Carbon Footprint of Milk from Pasture-Based Dairy Farms in Azores, Portugal," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(10), pages 1-22, October.
    3. Monforti, F. & Lugato, E. & Motola, V. & Bodis, K. & Scarlat, N. & Dallemand, J.-F., 2015. "Optimal energy use of agricultural crop residues preserving soil organic carbon stocks in Europe," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 519-529.
    4. Casey, J.W. & Holden, N.M., 2006. "Quantification of GHG emissions from sucker-beef production in Ireland," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 90(1-3), pages 79-98, October.
    5. Pablo Luis Peri & Yamina Micaela Rosas & Brenton Ladd & Santiago Toledo & Romina Gisele Lasagno & Guillermo Martínez Pastur, 2018. "Modelling Soil Carbon Content in South Patagonia and Evaluating Changes According to Climate, Vegetation, Desertification and Grazing," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(2), pages 1-14, February.
    6. Andy Hector & Robert Bagchi, 2007. "Biodiversity and ecosystem multifunctionality," Nature, Nature, vol. 448(7150), pages 188-190, July.
    7. Lindsey L. Sloat & James S. Gerber & Leah H. Samberg & William K. Smith & Mario Herrero & Laerte G. Ferreira & Cécile M. Godde & Paul C. West, 2018. "Increasing importance of precipitation variability on global livestock grazing lands," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 8(3), pages 214-218, March.
    8. Ricardo F. M. Teixeira & Tiago G. Morais & Tiago Domingos, 2018. "A Practical Comparison of Regionalized Land Use and Biodiversity Life Cycle Impact Assessment Models Using Livestock Production as a Case Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-19, November.
    9. David Tilman & Michael Clark, 2014. "Global diets link environmental sustainability and human health," Nature, Nature, vol. 515(7528), pages 518-522, November.
    10. Ricardo F.M. Teixeira & Lúcia Barão & Tiago G. Morais & Tiago Domingos, 2018. "“BalSim”: A Carbon, Nitrogen and Greenhouse Gas Mass Balance Model for Pastures," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(1), pages 1-26, December.
    11. Tiago G. Morais & Ricardo F. M. Teixeira & Tiago Domingos, 2018. "The Effects on Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Ecological Intensification of Meat Production with Rainfed Sown Biodiverse Pastures," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-23, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Tiago G. Morais & Ricardo F. M. Teixeira & Nuno R. Rodrigues & Tiago Domingos, 2018. "Carbon Footprint of Milk from Pasture-Based Dairy Farms in Azores, Portugal," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(10), pages 1-22, October.
    2. Ricardo F.M. Teixeira & Lúcia Barão & Tiago G. Morais & Tiago Domingos, 2018. "“BalSim”: A Carbon, Nitrogen and Greenhouse Gas Mass Balance Model for Pastures," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(1), pages 1-26, December.
    3. Tiago G. Morais & Ricardo F. M. Teixeira & Tiago Domingos, 2018. "The Effects on Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Ecological Intensification of Meat Production with Rainfed Sown Biodiverse Pastures," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-23, November.
    4. Ricardo F.M. Teixeira & Tiago Domingos, 2019. "Current Practice and Future Perspectives for Livestock Production and Industrial Ecology," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(15), pages 1-5, August.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Ricardo F.M. Teixeira & Tiago Domingos, 2019. "Current Practice and Future Perspectives for Livestock Production and Industrial Ecology," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(15), pages 1-5, August.
    2. Tiago G. Morais & Ricardo F. M. Teixeira & Tiago Domingos, 2018. "The Effects on Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Ecological Intensification of Meat Production with Rainfed Sown Biodiverse Pastures," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-23, November.
    3. Ricardo F.M. Teixeira & Lúcia Barão & Tiago G. Morais & Tiago Domingos, 2018. "“BalSim”: A Carbon, Nitrogen and Greenhouse Gas Mass Balance Model for Pastures," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(1), pages 1-26, December.
    4. Tiago G. Morais & Ricardo F. M. Teixeira & Nuno R. Rodrigues & Tiago Domingos, 2018. "Carbon Footprint of Milk from Pasture-Based Dairy Farms in Azores, Portugal," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(10), pages 1-22, October.
    5. Marques, Gonçalo M. & Teixeira, Carlos M.G.L. & Sousa, Tânia & Morais, Tiago G. & Teixeira, Ricardo F.M. & Domingos, Tiago, 2020. "Minimizing direct greenhouse gas emissions in livestock production: The need for a metabolic theory," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 434(C).
    6. Ricardo F. M. Teixeira & Tiago G. Morais & Tiago Domingos, 2018. "A Practical Comparison of Regionalized Land Use and Biodiversity Life Cycle Impact Assessment Models Using Livestock Production as a Case Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-19, November.
    7. Irene Blanco-Gutiérrez & Consuelo Varela-Ortega & Rhys Manners, 2020. "Evaluating Animal-Based Foods and Plant-Based Alternatives Using Multi-Criteria and SWOT Analyses," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(21), pages 1-26, October.
    8. Castro, P. & Pedroso, R. & Lautenbach, S. & Vicens, R., 2020. "Farmland abandonment in Rio de Janeiro: Underlying and contributory causes of an announced development," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 95(C).
    9. Rami Al Sidawi & Teo Urushadze & Angelika Ploeger, 2020. "Changes in Dairy Products Value Chain in Georgia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(15), pages 1-29, July.
    10. Birgit Kopainsky & Anita Frehner & Adrian Müller, 2020. "Sustainable and healthy diets: Synergies and trade‐offs in Switzerland," Systems Research and Behavioral Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 37(6), pages 908-927, November.
    11. Adam A. Prag & Christian B. Henriksen, 2020. "Transition from Animal-Based to Plant-Based Food Production to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Agriculture—The Case of Denmark," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(19), pages 1-20, October.
    12. Xavier Simon & Damián Copena & David Pérez-Neira, 2023. "Assessment of the diet-environment-health-cost quadrilemma in public school canteens. an LCA case study in Galicia (Spain)," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 25(11), pages 12543-12567, November.
    13. F. Castro-Llanos & G. Hyman & J. Rubiano & J. Ramirez-Villegas & H. Achicanoy, 2019. "Climate change favors rice production at higher elevations in Colombia," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 24(8), pages 1401-1430, December.
    14. Peter Horton, 2017. "We need radical change in how we produce and consume food," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 9(6), pages 1323-1327, December.
    15. Gerald Nelson & Jessica Bogard & Keith Lividini & Joanne Arsenault & Malcolm Riley & Timothy B. Sulser & Daniel Mason-D’Croz & Brendan Power & David Gustafson & Mario Herrero & Keith Wiebe & Karen Coo, 2018. "Income growth and climate change effects on global nutrition security to mid-century," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 1(12), pages 773-781, December.
    16. Funk, Matt, 2008. "On the Problem of Sustainable Economic Development: A Theoretical Solution to this Prisoner's Dilemma," MPRA Paper 19025, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 08 Jun 2008.
    17. Stephanie D. Maier & Jan Paul Lindner & Javier Francisco, 2019. "Conceptual Framework for Biodiversity Assessments in Global Value Chains," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(7), pages 1-34, March.
    18. Dániel Fróna & János Szenderák & Mónika Harangi-Rákos, 2019. "The Challenge of Feeding the World," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(20), pages 1-18, October.
    19. Jindřich Špička & Zdeňka Náglová, 2022. "Consumer segmentation in the meat market - The case study of Czech Republic," Agricultural Economics, Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences, vol. 68(2), pages 68-77.
    20. Théodore Nikiema & Eugène C. Ezin & Sylvain Kpenavoun Chogou, 2023. "Bibliometric Analysis of the State of Research on Agroecology Adoption and Methods Used for Its Assessment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(21), pages 1-18, November.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:12:p:4437-:d:185819. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.