Richard Teague - Grazing Down the Carbon: The Scientific Case for Grassland Restoration From Biodiversity for a Livable Climate conference: "Restoring Ecosystems to Reverse Global Warming" Saturday November 22nd, 2014

1. Improving Life through Science and Technology
Grazing Down the Carbon: The Scientific
Case for Grassland Restoration
Biodiversity for a Livable Climate
15th November 2014
Boston
Richard Teague,
Texas A&M AgriLife Research, Vernon

2. Overview
 Need to improve ecosystem function
 Big problems and big opportunities
 Testing a ranch scale hypothesis
 Published research results
 Conclusions
 Importance for climate change mitigation
 Regenerative management to mitigate
agriculture’s Carbon footprint

3. Restore Ecosystem Function
• Soil formation
• Soil retention
• Biodiversity
• Primary production
• Water cycling
• Nutrient cycling
• Habitat provision
• Fresh water
• Food, fiber
• Water purification
• Climate regulation
• Temperature moderation
• Biological control
• Soil maintenance
• Erosion control
• Flood mitigation
• Seed dispersal
• Pollination

4. How sustainable is current agriculture?
Modern agriculture has greatly increased human
well-being and wealth
But production of food has come at considerable
environmental and social cost
Negative effects include:
 disruption of hydrological and biogeochemical processes,
 soil erosion and impoverishment,
 excessive water use and aquifer depletion,
 contamination of soil and water by fertilizer and biocides,
 air pollution from aerosols,
 loss of pollinators
 loss of habitat and biodiversity, and
 increased GHG emissions

5. The role of forages and grazers
In contrast, ecologically sensitive,
regenerative management of ruminants in
crop and grazing agriculture contributes
positively to critical ecosystem benefits
Conservation management measures and
inclusion of perennial forages in cropping
systems have been demonstrated to
reduce negative impacts

6. My Goal
Find out :
 Why there is a discrepancy between some
research and rancher achievements
 What is the best that management can
achieve to sustain:
 livelihoods
 delivery of ecosystem goods and services

7. Infiltration with Vegetation Composition
Thurow 1991

8. 90% of Soil
function is
mediated by
microbes
Microbes
depend on
plants
So how we
manage plants
is critical

9. Indicator: Soil Temperature
 At 70 oF, 100% of Soil moisture is used for
growth.
 At 100 oF, 85% of Soil moisture is lost and
15% is used for growth.
 At 115 oF, microbes begin to breakdown, and
 At 140 oF they die.

10. Essential Ecosystem Processes
1. Energy flow - Maximize the flow of solar energy
through plants and soil.
2. Water cycle - Maximize capture and cycling of water
through plants and soil. Reduce export and import.
3. Mineral cycle - Maximize cycling of nutrients through
plants and soil.
4. Community dynamics - High ecosystem biodiversity
with more complex mixtures and combinations of
desirable plant species leads to increased resilience
and productivity.

11. Improving Rangeland Soil Health
Improve soil microbe function by:
• Improving plant cover
• Perennial plants rather than annuals
• Manage for most productive plants
• Leave adequate plant residue
• Minimizing bare ground - plant and litter cover
• Grow plants for as many months each year as
possible

12. Edwards Plateau Ranch 3-D View w/ GPS Locations
1. 39% area used
2. 41% GPS points on 9% area
3. SR: 21 ac/cow
4. Effective SR: 9 ac/cow

13. Grazing Pattern
November to March < 10
Days present
10-50
50-150
> 150
Water point
Senft et al. 1985
320 acres
10-12 stockers

14. Previous research on multi-paddock grazing
Teague et al. 2011; 2013

15. Many Grass farmers use MP grazing successfully
Most conservation award winners use MP grazing

16. Planned multi-paddock grazing
Animals:
 Graze more of the whole landscape
 Select a wider variety of plant species
Manager can control:
 How much is grazed
 The period of grazing, and
 The length and time of recovery

17. Landscape impact of continuous grazing
Planned multi-paddock grazing
Ranch road
Existing fence
Electric fence
Water point

18. Restoration using multi-paddock grazing
Noble Foundation, Coffey Ranch
Degraded tallgrass prairie
18 paddocks + water point
Managed to improve plant species

19. Restoration using multi-paddock grazing
Noble Foundation, Coffey Ranch
Charles Griffith, Hugh Aljoe, Russell Stevens

20. Summary of Managing for Desired Outcomes
 Match animal numbers to available forage
 Spread grazing over whole ranch
 Defoliate moderately in growing season
 Short grazing periods
 Adequate recovery before regrazing
 Graze again before forage too mature
 Adaptively change these elements according
to changing conditions
Teague et al. 2013

21. Managing proactively for best results
% Leaf Volume
Removed
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
% Root Growth
Stoppage
0%
0%
0%
0%
2-4%
50%
78%
100%
100%
Range Condition
Excellent Good Poor

22. Managing high animal performance
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
0 5 10 15 20 25
days of grazing in cycle
kg gain/head for season
Low SR
High SR
Barnes and Denny cited by Norton 2003
Days of grazing before recovery

23. Managing high animal performance
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
0 50 100 150
days of rest in cycle
kg gain/head for season
Barnes and Denny cited by Norton 2003
Days of recovery in cycle

24. High-density grazing
Low-density, light continuous grazing

25. What we need to know:
Understanding causal mechanisms is critical to knowing
how to manage to regenerate from a degraded situation.
 What are the mechanisms causing degradation?
 What management reverses degradation?
 How good is Planned Holistic Management as a
restoration and management tool?
 Where does it work and not work?
 How does it need to be managed to make it work as well
as it can?

26. Equilibrium of
soil formation
and soil erosion
Degradation
Spiral
Decreased cover,
productivity and SOC
Deteriorated soil
structure
Decreased
infiltration and water
holding capacity
Decreased cover and
SOC
We know what
causes this at
the small scale
Increased cover and
SOC
Enhanced infiltration
and water holding
capacity
Enhanced soil
structure
Increased cover,
productivity and SOC
Regeneration
Spiral
How to manage
for this at the
ranch scale?
Thurow 1991; Teague et al., 2011

27. Semi-arid Karroo region in South Africa
Managed with Holistic Planned Grazing
No stock for decades
Average rainfall = 14”
H2O, CO H 2 2O, CO2

28. (McNaughton, 1988; Fynn, 2008)

29. An Alternate Ranch Scale Hypothesis
We tested the hypothesis that at the
commercial ranch scale:
Planned multi-paddock grazing, when adaptively managed
to give best vegetation and animal performance, has the
potential to produce superior long-term:
1. Conservation and restoration of resources;
2. Ecosystem goods and services; and
3. Ranch profitability

30. Influence of multi-paddock grazing on
soil and vegetation
Jack county
Parker county
Cooke county

31. Influence of multi-paddock grazing on
soil and vegetation
In each county on 3 neighbouring ranches :
Continuous graze @ ± 20 ac/AU (Best in class continuous)
Continuous graze @ ± 10 ac/AU (Most common management)
Planned multi-paddock @ ± 10 ac/AU (Best in class)
Grazing treatment at least 10 years

32. Bare Ground
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
P = 0.0006
Heavy Continuous Heavy Rotation Light Continuous
Bare ground (%)
a
b
b
Heavy
Multi-camp
Teague et al. 2011

33. Soil Microbes
Parameter
Grazing Management
Heavy
continuous
Light
continuous
Multi-paddock
Grazing
exclosure
Total bacteria (g m-2) 82a 74a 78a 98a
Total fungi (g m-2) 97b 98b 174a 105ab
Fungi to Bacteria ratio 1.2b 1.1b 3.1a 0.7b

34. Importance of Fungi
Fungi provide:
 Access and transport nutrients
 Extend root volume and depth
 Exude glomalin to enhance soil C
 Increase water and nutrient retention
 Increase drought resistance
 Plant growth highest with highest fungal – bacterial ratio
Killham 1994; Leake et al. 2004; Averill et al. 2014

35. Penetration Resistance (compaction)
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
P = 0.0005
Heavy Continuous Heavy Rotation Light Continuous
Energy (Joules)
a
c
b
Heavy
Multi-camp

36. Total Carbon Stock in Top 90 cm (t/ha)
Heavy continuous
Light continuous
Multi-paddock
Russ Conser SHELL pers comm
160
140
120
100
80
60

37. Soil Carbon, Nutrients and Water
Parameter Heavy
Continuous
Light
Continuous
Multi-paddock
Soil Organic Matter 3.1b 4.4b 4.86a
Cation Exchange Capacity 24.6b 23.7b 27.4a
Water holding (Gal/acre) 55,700 79,059 87,324

38. Tall Grasses
3000
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
0
Heavy
Continuous
P = 0.003
Heavy Rotation Light Continuous
Biomass (kg ha-1)
b
a
b
Heavy
Multi-camp

39. Mid Grasses
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
0
P = 0.188 a
Heavy
Continuous
Heavy Rotation Light Continuous
Biomass (kg ha-1)
b
ab
Heavy
Multi-camp

40. Annual Forbs
600
500
400
300
200
100
0
P = 0.014
Heavy Continuous Heavy Rotation Light Continuous
Biomass (kg ha-1)
a
b b
Heavy
Multi-camp

41. Profit Scenarios for HC or LC farms (20-year
scenario) under a CO2 price of $6 per ton
Initial Farm
management
Practice Change Economic
Profit
($ ha-1)
Carbon
Profit
($ ha-1)
Total
Profit
($ ha-1)
Best
Choice
Initially
Practicing HC
HC unchanged -2.39 0 -2.39
HC → MP 16.29 32.97 49.26 
HC → LC -0.31 28.77 28.46
Initially
Practicing LC
LC unchanged -0.31 0 -0.31
LC → MP 16.29 0.09 16.38 
LC → HC -2.39 -28.77 -31.16

42. Simulation modelling results
 Both ecological condition and profitability increase
with increasing number of paddocks
 Adjusting HPG management with changing conditions
increases ecological condition and profitability
 Short periods of grazing with adequate recovery gave
the greatest profit and improved ecological condition
 Profitability is decreased if recovery is too long
 HPG management ameliorated impact of increasing
stocking rate in proportion to number of paddocks
Journal of Environmental Management 2014

43. Summary
Successful multi-paddocks managers use:
 Flexible stocking to match forage availability
 Spread grazing over whole ranch
 Moderate grazing during growing season
 Short graze periods
 Allow recovery before regrazing
 Graze again before forage too mature
 Adaptively adjust to prevailing conditions
 Use multiple species

44. Conclusions
Appropriate regenerative grazing management:
 Sequesters more soil carbon
 Improves watershed function
 Improves species composition
 Stabilizes soil and soil fertility
 Enhances wildlife and biodiversity
 Improves economic returns while improving the
resource base

45. Improving Pasture Soil Health
Improve soil microbe function by:
• Perennial plants rather than annuals
• Manage for most productive plants
• Leave adequate plant residue
• Use diverse species mixes and cover crops
• Eliminate tillage
• Minimize bare ground
• Use organic soil amendments
• Reduce N-fertilizer use
• Grow plants for maximum months each year
Delgado et al 2011; Rodale 2014; Jones, 2014

46. Soil health differences due to management
High density grazing
Christine Jones, 2014 Multi species pasture

47. Importance for Ecosystem Function?
Using regenerative cropping and grazing
management can:
 Build SOC levels and soil microbial functions
 Control erosion more effectively
 Build soil fertility
 Reduce damaging inputs
 Enhance watershed hydrological function
 Increase biodiversity
Could result in agricultural soils being a net GHG
sink rather than a major GHG source

48. Importance for climate change mitigation
Northern Great Plains carbon sinks and emissions of:
 Light continuous grazing -0.783 tons CO2eq /ha/yr
 With enteric methane of 0.176 tons CO2eq /ha/yr
 Heavy continuous grazing -0.618 tons CO2eq /ha/yr
 With enteric methane of 0.484 tons CO2eq /ha/yr
Liebig et al., 2010
Data from pasture and southern tallgrass prairie
 Best pasture management sequestered 11 tons CO2eq /ha/yr
Conant et al., 2001
 Best multi-paddock grazing on prairie sequestered 11 tons
CO2eq /ha/yr more than heavy continuous grazing
Teague et al., 2011

49. Soil Health for climate change mitigation?

50. Soil Health for Climate Change Mitigation?
EPA 2013; Lal 2003
Current Reduce
Ruminants

51. Soil Health for Climate Change Mitigation?
25%
Regenerative
cropping and
grazing
-3.0 t C ha-1 yr-1 for 263 mil ha
Conant et al., 2001; Teague et al., 2011
Current Reduce
Ruminants

52. Soil Health for Climate Change Mitigation?
25%
Regenerative
cropping and
grazing
50%
Regenerative
cropping and
grazing
-3.0 t C ha-1 yr-1 for 263 mil ha
Conant et al., 2001; Teague et al., 2011
100%
Regenerative
cropping and
grazing
Current Reduce
Ruminants

53. Importance for Climate Change Mitigation?
Using regenerative cropping and grazing
management to:
 Build SOC levels and soil microbial functions
 Control erosion more effectively
Could result in soils being a net sink for
agricultural GHGs rather than a major source of
GHGs as at present.

54. Future Management Research……………….(1)
Research needs to investigate:
 How good is Holistic Planned Grazing as a
restoration and management tool?
 What multi-paddock management best reverses
the causes of degradation?
 Where does it work and not work?
 How does it need to be managed to make it work
as well as it can?

56. Future Management Research……………………..(2)
 Include ranch-based research at scale of management
 Use retrospective, remote sensing to evaluate 20-year
impacts of different management at landscape scale
 Develop and test theories to check conclusions for
inconsistencies with evidence from other sources
 Corroborate output of biological models with field
results from commercial ranches under a range of
management strategies
 Use models to determine what combination of
management choices yields superior results?

57. END