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ARS Home » Northeast Area » University Park, Pennsylvania » Pasture Systems & Watershed Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #292439
Title: Whole-farm models to quantify greenhouse gas emissions and their potential use for linking climate change mitigation and adaptation in ruminant-based farming systems

Author
item DEL PRADO, A - Basque Foundation For Science
item CROSSON, P - Teagasc (AGRICULTURE AND FOOD DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY)
item OLESEN, J - Aarhus University
item Rotz, Clarence - Al

Submitted to: Animal
Publication Type: Review Article
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/22/2013
Publication Date: 6/23/2014
Citation: Del Prado, A., Crosson, P., Olesen, J.E., Rotz, C.A. 2014. Whole-farm models to quantify greenhouse gas emissions and their potential use for linking climate change mitigation and adaptation in ruminant-based farming systems. Animal. 7(s2):373–385.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The farm level is the most appropriate scale for evaluating options for mitigating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The farm represents the unit at which management decisions in livestock production are made and farm profit must be maintained for sustainable production. To date, a number of whole farm modelling approaches have been developed to quantify GHG emissions and explore climate change mitigation strategies for livestock systems. This paper analyses the limitations and strengths of the different existing approaches for modelling GHG mitigation by considering basic model structures, approaches for simulating GHG emissions from various farm components, and the sensitivity of GHG outputs and mitigation measures to different approaches. Potential challenges for linking existing models with the simulation of impacts and adaptation measures under climate change are explored along with a brief discussion of the effects on other ecosystem services.