Greenhouse Gas Emission from Beef Cattle Grazing Systems on Temperate Grasslands

At a global scale, cattle production is responsible for 65% of GHG emissions. During 2014 cattle management was the largest emitters of methane (CH4) representing a 23.2% of the total CH4 from anthropogenic activities. Since 2014, gas samples have been gathered and analyzed for carbon dioxide (CO2), CH4 and nitrous oxide (N2O) from three grazing areas under three different burning regimes at the temperate grassland of Konza Prairie Biological Station in Kansas. Burning regimes included one site in annually burned, and two sites with patch burned every three years on offset years. Burning regimes showed no effect in N2O emissions (p<0.05). Annual burning lowered CO2 emissions relative to patch burned. There was a significant effect of interaction between emissions and season. Maximum CO2 and CH4 fluxes were gathered during summer and fall; which coincided with high biomass seasons. Weather and edaphological conditions during fall and winter increase N2O emissions. A decrease in CO2 and CH4 fluxes, and N2O and CH4 soil uptake occurred during winter. Data gathered since 2014 implies CH4 and N2O are consumed on grazed grassland soils; with an increase in consumption with patch burning. Results quantify the role of temperate grasslands as a sink of CH4, and a possible sink of N2O. This experiment evidence CO2, CH4 and N2O emissions behavior as a consequence of burning regimes, and quantify the role of temperate grasslands as a sink of CH4 and N2O in order to understand best practice for resilience of beef cattle management.