Cited by 17Soil Carbon and Nitrogen DynamicsRangeland Management and Livestock EcologyPasture and Agricultural Systems

Amping up soil carbon: soil carbon stocks in California rangelands under adaptive multi-paddock and conventional grazing management

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Stanley, Paige, Roche, Leslie, Bowles, Timothy·2025·International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability

Abstract

Adaptive multi-paddock (AMP) grazing is gaining attention for its potential to increase soil organic carbon (SOC), yet its efficacy on arid and semi-arid rangelands remains debated. Given the adaptive nature of AMP, on-ranch studies are essential for measuring its applied outcomes. To assess AMP’s impact on Mediterranean California rangelands, we collected 1,440 soil samples from four paired AMP and conventional (CONV) grazing sites across northern California. Three AMP ranches had significantly greater SOC stocks in surface soils (17% greater SOC at 0–10 cm), and two had greater SOC stocks to 100 cm (32% greater), compared to CONV ranches. The largest SOC differences occurred in the mineral-associated organic matter fraction, suggesting longer-term SOC storage. While plant community composition did not differ significantly, AMP ranches, on average, had slightly less bare ground, greater live plant cover, and two sites had 82% greater perennial grass cover. These factors may have contributed to SOC differences. Further research is needed to understand site-specific constraints, underlying mechanisms, and SOC changes over time under AMP grazing.

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Crossref · 10.1080/14735903.2025.2461826

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  • Some studies compared SOC between AMP and conventional grazing at one timepoint and therefore could not report accrual rates.

    “Additionally, some studies compared SOC between AMP and conventional grazing at one timepoint (Mosier et al., 2022;Stanley et al., 2025) and therefore could not report accrual rates.”
  • Multiple studies have demonstrated SOC gains under AMP grazing, alongside broader improvements in ecophysiological indicators of soil health such as enhanced plant community composition and water dynamics.

    “Despite limited long-term data, multiple studies have demonstrated SOC gains under AMP grazing (e.g., Mosier et al., 2021;Stanley et al., 2025), alongside broader improvements in ecophysiological indicators of soil health such as enhanced plant community composition and water dynamics (Apfelbaum et al., 2022;Döbert et al., 2021).”

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Authors
Stanley, P., Roche, L., & Bowles, T.
Affiliations
  • Colorado State University (US)
  • University of California, Davis (US)
  • University of California, Berkeley (US)
Corresponding author
Stanley, Paige
Venue
International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability
Published
2025-02-21
Volume
23
Issue
1
ISSN
  • 1473-5903 (ISSN-L)
  • 1747-762X
OpenAlex
W4407807461
Cited by
17
References
82
Citations by year
2026: 12 · 2025: 5
FWCI
8.58
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Funders
  • National Cattlemen’s Beef Association
  • United States Department of Agriculture
  • Western Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Soil Science › Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law › Rangeland Management and Livestock Ecology
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Forestry › Pasture and Agricultural Systems
Keywords
adaptive multi-paddock grazing, soil organic carbon, soil carbon stocks, mineral-associated organic matter, Mediterranean rangelands, arid and semi-arid rangelands, perennial grass cover, bare ground, California rangelands

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