How Soil Microbial Communities Develop and Respond to Integrated Crop-Livestock Systems.

Integrated crop-livestock systems are complex in form and function – not only above-ground, but also below-ground.  The input of carbon in integrated crop-livestock systems is often greater than in traditional cropping systems, the result of which could lead to changes in soil microbial communities and nutrient dynamics.  Rotation of cash crops with grazed cover crops and/or grazed perennial pastures contributes to surface soil organic carbon and nitrogen accumulation.  Active root growth for a longer period of time throughout the year results in greater rhizosphere activity and subsequent carbon mineralization and nutrient cycling.  Unique soil carbon and nitrogen dynamics in integrated crop-livestock systems will be explored in this presentation, as well as simple biologically based tools to assess nutrient cycling.