March Monthly Meeting 2022

Soil hosts the world’s largest ecosystem carbon pool storing as much as 2400 Pg C. Most of this is in grassland soils that occupy 40% of the earth’s terrestrial surface. On the Northern Great Plains these vast carbon stores have accumulated since the last glacial period, about 9,000 years, in a coevolved bison/grassland ecosystem. During the past 5 years we have evaluated alternative livestock grazing systems that presumably can simulate bison grazing. Indeed, Adaptive Multi-Paddock grazing of livestock supports carbon sequestration and storage, enhances water infiltration, and is compatible with conservation of many native grassland birds. Land use has major ramifications for global carbon balance offsetting fossil fuel emissions. Canada needs to establish a carbon registry to reward avoided conversion of grasslands to cropland.

This will be an online event, please register here for the meeting link.