Abdalla A.1, Zavattaro L.2, Lellei-Kovacs E.3, Espenberg M.1,4, Mander U.4, Smith K.5, Thorman R.5, Dǎmǎtîrcǎ C.6, Schils R.7, Ten Berge H.7, Newell-Price P.5 and Smith P.1
1Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Aberdeen, United Kingdom; 2Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Torino, Italy; 3Institute of Ecology and Botany, MTA Centre for Ecological Research, Hungary; 4Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia; 5ADAS, United Kingdom; 6Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, University of Torino, Italy; 7Agrosystems Research, Wageningen Plant Research, Droevendaalsesteeg 1, 6708 PB Wageningen, the Netherland
Abstract
This global review of grassland liming research assesses the impacts of liming on soil pH, biomass production and net greenhouse gas (GHG) exchanges (N2O, CH4 and CO2). All studies showed that liming either reduced or had no effects on the emissions of N2O and CH4. Though the liming of grasslands can increase net CO2 emissions, the impact on net GHG emissions is small due to the higher 100-year global warming potential (GWP) of N2O and CH4 than CO2. Moderate liming of grassland significantly increases soil pH, grass productivity and species richness, and reduced fertilizer requirement, which justifies its wider adoption.
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