Researchers at the University of Manchester are pushing back on the idea that removing livestock from grasslands is always a climate win.
- A recent study finds that taking sheep off upland grasslands can boost short-term carbon in plants and surface litter, but it may reduce the most durable form of soil carbon that actually sticks around for decades or longer and helps with long-term climate goals.
- The researchers argue that low-intensity grazing can help maintain stable soil carbon, and that climate policy should focus not just on how much carbon is stored, but how securely it’s locked away over time.
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