Fate of C and N Inputs from Dung Pats into Soil.

The distribution and subsequent decomposition of dung pat across the landscape are some of the many processes of nutrient cycling in managed grazing systems.  Nutrient cycling can influence the diversity and abundance of species, forage quality, net primary production, and the fate of nitrogen and carbon.  The goal of the research was to quantify and characterize the fate of nutrients during decomposition of cow dung and the influence of dung beetles in the decomposition process. We quantified mass loss of dung, soil nutrients below and around dung pats, and GHGs fluxes overtime.  Results of soil nutrients fate will be presented here and another paper by Evans et al will present the results of GHG fluxes.