Climate change effects on northern Spanish grassland-based dairy livestock systems

Understanding the effects of climate change on agro-ecosystems is fundamental in order to select optimum management practices mitigate environmental pressures. There a need forecast greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) grassland systems under scenarios whilst also accounting for SOC sequestration. The objective this study assess net GHG over > 405,000 hectares (ha) moist temperate Northern Spanish grasslands utilised dairy production, conditions (i.e., RCP 4.5, and 8.5), compared reference baseline scenario. It hypothesised that will increase implementing specific manure (namely anaerobic digestion (AD)) may global warming effect. We used an integrated modelling framework comprising: (i) geographic information (GIS); (ii) modified RothC version simulate changes managed conditions; (iii) Tier 2 recent IPCC methods estimate emissions. Average contributed potential with average 5.8 6.2 Mg CO2-e ha−1 year−1, 4.5 8.5, respectively. Anaerobic allowed both equal Under conditions, practices, namely AD, likely reduce associated production Spain.