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Climate Change Impact, Adaptation, and Mitigation in Temperate Grazing Systems: A Review

Author

Listed:
  • Afshin Ghahramani

    (Centre for Sustainable Agricultural Systems, Institute for Life Science and the Environment, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, QLD 4350, Australia)

  • S. Mark Howden

    (Climate Change Institute, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia)

  • Agustin del Prado

    (Basque Centre for Climate Change (BC3), Edificio Sede Nº 1, Planta 1, Parque Científicode UPV/EHU, Barrio Sarriena s/n, 48940 Leioa, Spain)

  • Dean T. Thomas

    (CSIRO Agriculture and Food, Floreat, WA 6014, Australia)

  • Andrew D. Moore

    (CSIRO Agriculture and Food, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia)

  • Boyu Ji

    (Centre for Compassionate Conservation, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia)

  • Serkan Ates

    (Department of Animal and Rangeland Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA)

Abstract

Managed temperate grasslands occupy 25% of the world, which is 70% of global agricultural land. These lands are an important source of food for the global population. This review paper examines the impacts of climate change on managed temperate grasslands and grassland-based livestock and effectiveness of adaptation and mitigation options and their interactions. The paper clarifies that moderately elevated atmospheric CO 2 (eCO 2 ) enhances photosynthesis, however it may be restiricted by variations in rainfall and temperature, shifts in plant’s growing seasons, and nutrient availability. Different responses of plant functional types and their photosynthetic pathways to the combined effects of climatic change may result in compositional changes in plant communities, while more research is required to clarify the specific responses. We have also considered how other interacting factors, such as a progressive nitrogen limitation (PNL) of soils under eCO 2 , may affect interactions of the animal and the environment and the associated production. In addition to observed and modelled declines in grasslands productivity, changes in forage quality are expected. The health and productivity of grassland-based livestock are expected to decline through direct and indirect effects from climate change. Livestock enterprises are also significant cause of increased global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (about 14.5%), so climate risk-management is partly to develop and apply effective mitigation measures. Overall, our finding indicates complex impact that will vary by region, with more negative than positive impacts. This means that both wins and losses for grassland managers can be expected in different circumstances, thus the analysis of climate change impact required with potential adaptations and mitigation strategies to be developed at local and regional levels.

Suggested Citation

  • Afshin Ghahramani & S. Mark Howden & Agustin del Prado & Dean T. Thomas & Andrew D. Moore & Boyu Ji & Serkan Ates, 2019. "Climate Change Impact, Adaptation, and Mitigation in Temperate Grazing Systems: A Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(24), pages 1-30, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:24:p:7224-:d:298670
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Ghahramani, Afshin & Kingwell, Ross S. & Maraseni, Tek Narayan, 2020. "Land use change in Australian mixed crop-livestock systems as a transformative climate change adaptation," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 180(C).
    2. Catarina D. Melo & Cristiana S. A. M. Maduro Dias & Sophie Wallon & Alfredo E. S. Borba & João Madruga & Paulo A. V. Borges & Maria T. Ferreira & Rui B. Elias, 2022. "Influence of Climate Variability and Soil Fertility on the Forage Quality and Productivity in Azorean Pastures," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-18, March.
    3. Liudmila Tripolskaja & Asta Kazlauskaite-Jadzevice & Virgilijus Baliuckas & Almantas Razukas, 2021. "Natural and Managed Grasslands Productivity during Multiyear in Ex-Arable Lands (in the Context of Climate Change)," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-13, March.
    4. Deirdre Hennessy & Luc Delaby & Agnes van den Pol-van Dasselaar & Laurence Shalloo, 2020. "Increasing Grazing in Dairy Cow Milk Production Systems in Europe," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-15, March.
    5. Timothée Petit & Annie Sigwalt & Gilles Martel & Sébastien Couvreur, 2022. "The Place of Grasslands in Cattle Farmers’ Perceptions of Forage Production: Useful Insights of 10 Years of Empirical Research on Grasslands," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-22, September.

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