New Research Examines
Value of Grasslands in Greenhouse Gas Mitigation
Dr. Kim Ominski -
Farmscape for November 11,
2008 (Episode 3013)
A multidisciplinary team of scientists from the Universities
of Manitoba and
The role of grasslands in mitigating greenhouse-gas
emissions and their ability to provide other benefits is the focus of a project
launched by the
The study is one of a series of projects aimed at helping
reduce the volume of greenhouse gas emitted by
Department of Animal Science Associate professor Dr. Kim Ominski explains the study will examine the value of
grasslands, beyond their ability to provide feed for beef and dairy cattle and
other ruminant species.
The project originally started with a keen interest on
behalf of
When we look at greenhouse gas production in a beef cattle
production system we need to focus on all the potential sources of greenhouse
gasses and the potential sinks for greenhouse gases.
Sources would include things like emissions from cattle
through the digestion or break down of feed but also we know that the majority
of grasslands are owned by beef and dairy cattle producers and that that land
has the potential sequester or trap carbon.
The questions that they were asking is, we need to sort of
take a look at a more whole system approach rather than just looking at sources
of individual greenhouse gases but rather all sources of greenhouse gases.
That includes methane from the cows, possibly nitrous oxide
from the manure and also the potential to trap some of this carbon or act as a
carbon sink in terms of all of the grasslands they own.
Dr. Ominksi notes we can easily
garner data on the productivity of forages and their value in providing feed
but the non commodity values not always associated with forage production, like
the potential for providing wild life habitat, for reducing flooding, for
recreation, will require additional attention.
For Farmscape.Ca, I'm Bruce Cochrane.
*Farmscape is a presentation of Sask Pork and Manitoba Pork Council
Wonderworks
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