The Study
Soil quality under rotational and conventional grazing in Mediterranean areas at desertification risk.
This study compares two ways of grazing animals on land — one where animals move around (rotational) and one where they stay in the same place (continuous). It found that the moving method was linked to healthier soil in some ways, like holding more carbon and nutrients. But because the study didn’t randomly assign the methods, we can’t say for sure that the grazing caused the better soil — other differences between the farms might be responsible.
Analysis score
Maximum 72 for a cohort study.
Where the score came from
Farmers can let animals graze in one big field all the time or move them around in smaller parts. This study checked which way keeps the soil healthier in dry areas.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 545 / 100
Quality score
Groups of people are followed over time to see who develops an outcome. Strong for identifying risk factors and associations, but cannot prove causation as firmly as RCTs.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Healthier soil can grow more plants and resist drying out, which is important in areas at risk of becoming desert.
- 2Rotational grazing had 27%-67% more soil carbon, 67%-77% more nitrogen, better nutrient holding, and slightly better water holding.
- 3Soil bugs and fungi were about the same in both systems.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Journal of environmental management
Year
2025
Authors
H. Ishaq, Eleonora Grilli, R. D’Ascoli, M. Mastrocicco, A. Rutigliano, R. Marzaioli, S. Strumia, Elio Coppola, Iseult Malrieu, Filipe Silva, Simona Castaldi
Related Content
Claims (4)
If you keep chickens on the same pasture all the time without rotating it, the soil gets worse, the grass doesn't grow as well, and there are fewer bugs and plants for the chickens to eat.
Rotating where animals graze helps the soil stay healthier in dry areas — it boosts carbon, nitrogen, and the soil's ability to hold water compared to letting animals graze the same spot all the time.
Healthy soil in dry Mediterranean pastures depends a lot on carbon from old plants and microbes — the more of it there is, the better the soil holds water, cycles nutrients, and supports helpful fungi and nitrogen release.
In dry Mediterranean grasslands, rotating animals between pastures doesn’t seem to make the soil’s tiny life or structure any different than leaving them in one spot all the time — even though other soil traits do change.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.