1. The Paradoxical Pursuit of Sustainable Nitrogen Management in Irrigated High-Elevation Hay Meadows

Irrigated hay meadows are an integral, but often under-performing component of livestock operations in the Mountain West. Saturating irrigation and cool temperatures result in buildup of organic matter in form of an O-horizon, hindering forage production and nitrogen (N) cycling. For these reasons, many ranchers choose to fertilize with N regardless of large stores of N already in the soil. To improve long-term forage production in meadow systems, it is therefore critical to understand the... D. Adamson, J. Norton, U. Norton, L.T. Van diepen, M. Singh