Rowlings, David, Mitchell, Elaine, Bonner, Mark, Gardiner, Chris, Mirsafi, Zahra, Takeda, Naoya, McEwan, Sandra, and Grace, Peter (2026) Soil carbon sequestration under the tropical perennial legume Desmanthus in northern Australian grasslands. Soil Research. (In Press)

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Abstract

Key Results: Desmanthus-improved pastures stored significantly more SOC than control sites, with an estimated increase of 7.5 t C ha-1 (P < 0.001), equating to an annual sequestration rate of 0.47 t C ha-1 yr-1 over an average of 16 years since establishment. A fitted exponential model suggests that the majority of SOC accumulation occurred within the first decade, after which SOC likely approached a steady-state. Increased SOC sequestration in Desmanthus pastures was likely driven by enhanced C and N inputs and greater below-ground biomass allocation. Conclusions: SOC gains from good Desmanthus stands can potentially offset a substantial proportion of herd emissions at low stocking densities in the first decade after establishment. Implications: Despite the clear potential for Desmanthus to improve pasture productivity and contribute to SOC sequestration, widespread adoption remains limited. Challenges such as variable establishment success, competition with existing pasture species, and high seed costs continue to constrain its uptake.

Item ID:	92123
Item Type:	Article (Research - C1)
ISSN:	1838-6768
Related URLs:	https://connectsci.au/sr/article/doi/10....
Date Deposited:	15 Jun 2026 23:33
FoR Codes:	41 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES > 4106 Soil sciences > 410604 Soil chemistry and soil carbon sequestration (excl. carbon sequestration science) @ 100%
SEO Codes:	18 ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT > 1806 Terrestrial systems and management > 180605 Soils @ 100%
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