LB 27-277 - Cattle pastures as natural climate solutions: implications for beef production and landscape restoration in temperate and tropical ecosystems

Thursday, August 18, 2022

5:00 PM – 6:30 PM EDT

Located in: ESA Exhibit Hall

Presenting Author(s)

BS

Bela H. Starinchak

Graduate Student
James Madison University
Harrisonburg, Virginia, United States

Coauthor(s)

LJ

Lisa Jagannathan

Undergraduate researcher
James Madison University, United States
HG

Heather Griscom

Professor
James Madison University, United States

Background/Question/Methods:

Forest restoration is the most effective natural climate solution, with the potential to sequester 37% of the carbon dioxide (CO2) needed to reach the Paris climate mitigation goal. Nevertheless, restoration efforts must occur before this potential is maximized. Cattle pastures offer an underutilized opportunity to increase global restoration, improve biodiversity, and maximize carbon storage through the adoption of sustainable management strategies. Yet, the effect of increased trees on cattle production is not documented across biomes and as a result, farmer adoption of such strategies remains low. Furthermore, the restoration potential of these landscapes as a byproduct of management for carbon remains to be studied. Therefore, the aims of this study were (i) evaluate the effect of tree carbon on the total cattle per hectare a pasture can sustain and (ii) quantify the biodiversity of sustainably managed farms in temperate and tropical ecosystems.Pastoral carbon storage (MgC/ha) in temperate forest ecosystems of Virginia and dry tropical forest ecosystems of Panama was estimated remotely, verified with in-situ plots, and compared to the cattle production of each farm. Woody plant and avian species were also quantified within different tree cover classes to determine biodiversity as a metric of ecological restoration success within these systems.

Results/Conclusions:

Preliminary findings demonstrate a positive correlation between average carbon storage (MgC/ha) and cattle per ha in Virginia. As much as 23 MgC/ha can be stored in pasture trees with no decline in cattle production in temperate forest ecosystems. Total carbon storage (MgC/ha) was a predictor of woody species diversity in Panama (p < 0.0001, R²= 0.31), but not Virginia. In tropical ecosystems, forested riparian areas had the greatest carbon storage (representing 57% of total carbon on Panamanian farms) and supported significantly greater diversity of plant (p < 0.0001) and avian species (p = 0.009). Clarifying the relationship between tree carbon and cattle production will contribute to the consideration of agroforestry strategies as mechanisms for climate mitigation in national carbon credit plans. In turn, funding availability for such practices could be increased while simultaneously reducing barriers to implementation, including cost and labor demands for farmers.