Key drivers of N2O emissions from livestock urine in the uplands (Uplands-N2O)

The overarching aims of the project are to gain an improved understanding of the spatial and temporal interactions between sheep grazing behaviour, forage selection, urine composition and edaphic factors to increase the accuracy of direct N2O emission estimates from extensive upland systems. This will be undertaken using a range of approaches including equipping sheep with GPS and accelerometer tags, analysing urine and vegetation composition, spatially mapping soil and landscape properties which may influence N2O emissions, laboratory and field trials to quantify direct N2O emissions from sheep urine, and data integration and modelling of upland N2O emissions at the pasture scale.

The research is mostly being undertaken at Henfaes Research Centre, where a semi-improved area of enclosed hill land situated approximately 300 m above sea level is the area of study for the first grazing season. The second grazing season will take place within the Snowdonia National Park on an unimproved area situated approximately 850 m above sea level. To find out more about the approaches being undertaken follow the ‘Our Research’ link.