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Assessing cattle grazing impact on biomass and soil carbon pools in an Australian semi-arid woodland

Author

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  • Laudari, Hari Krishna
  • Volkova, Liubov
  • Roxburgh, Stephen H
  • Weston, Christopher J

Abstract

This study assessed the impact of grazing, with and without cattle, on carbon pools in an Australian semi-arid woodland using field measurements and simulations of the Full Carbon Accounting Model (FullCAM). Field measurements included living and dead trees, shrubs and grasses, litter and coarse woody debris (aboveground) and biocrust and soil to 10 cm depth (belowground). Root biomass was estimated as a shoot-to-root ratio. Total carbon (above + below ground) in cattle-excluded grazed sites (75.0 ± 0.08 t ha-1) was similar to cattle-included grazed sites (72.4 ± 0.08 t ha-1), with approximately 16–21 % of the total measured carbon stored in the soil. However, cattle grazing reduced biocrust carbon from 0.24 t ha-1 to 0.06 t ha-1, emphasizing the vulnerability of biocrusts to hard-hooved trampling by large and heavy cattle.

Suggested Citation

  • Laudari, Hari Krishna & Volkova, Liubov & Roxburgh, Stephen H & Weston, Christopher J, 2026. "Assessing cattle grazing impact on biomass and soil carbon pools in an Australian semi-arid woodland," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 512(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecomod:v:512:y:2026:i:c:s0304380025003904
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2025.111404
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Jonathan Sanderman & Jodie Reseigh & Michael Wurst & Mary-Anne Young & Jenet Austin, 2015. "Impacts of Rotational Grazing on Soil Carbon in Native Grass-Based Pastures in Southern Australia," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(8), pages 1-15, August.
    2. Benjamin Poulter & David Frank & Philippe Ciais & Ranga B. Myneni & Niels Andela & Jian Bi & Gregoire Broquet & Josep G. Canadell & Frederic Chevallier & Yi Y. Liu & Steven W. Running & Stephen Sitch , 2014. "Contribution of semi-arid ecosystems to interannual variability of the global carbon cycle," Nature, Nature, vol. 509(7502), pages 600-603, May.
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