Ecological Benefits of Compost for Rangeland Plant and Soil Health

The use of organic amendments such as compost is a potential tool for grassland restoration. Compost additions can promote soil water retention and plant productivity, and reduce erosion. Cost is a major barrier to this technique. This study worked to understand and quantify the ecological benefits of compost addition, in the hopes of promoting its economic viability as a restoration method. This field experiment used nine soil plots on rangeland in New Mexico to collect soil health and vegetation data under different compost or control conditions.