Soil Bacterial Biodiversity is Driven by Long-term Pasture Management, Poultry Litter, and Cattle Manure Inputs

Soil microorganisms are important for maintaining soil health, decomposing organic matter, and recycling nutrients in pasture systems. However, the impact of long-term conservation pasture management on soil microbial communities remains unclear. Therefore, soil microbiome responses to conservation pasture management is an important component of soil health, especially in the largest agricultural land-use in the U.S. The aim of this study was to identify soil microbiome community differences following 13-years of pasture management [hayed (no cattle), continuously grazed, rotationally grazed with a fenced, un-grazed and unfertilized buffer strip, and a control (no poultry litter or cattle manure inputs)].