Characterisation of Soil Organic Matter from Pensacola Bahiagrass Pastures Grazed for Four Years at Different Management Intensities

Characterisation of Soil Organic Matter from Pensacola Bahiagrass Pastures Grazed for Four Years at Different Management Intensities

Soil fertility and agricultural system sustainability depend upon soil organic matter (SOM), particularly in the tropics, because of highly weathered soils and low fertiliser inputs. Because of the beneficial effects of SOM on chemical, physical, and biological soil properties, Greenland (1994) suggested that SOM is an indicator of agro-ecosystem sustainability. Pasture management may affect SOM by altering the production/decomposition ratio of residues (Johnson, 1995). The objective of this study was to characterise the SOM of Pensacola bahiagrass pastures grazed for four years at a range of management intensities.