Evaluating the Role of Integrated Aquatic–Terrestrial Buffer Zones in Improving Livestock Farm Environmental Quality

Abstract

The livestock farms located around vulnerable aquatic environments are often faced with complicated environmental issues due to the high nutrient run offs, sediment movement, and local micro climatic unpredictability, all these factors eventually reduced the water quality, and adversely affected the welfare of animals. This paper explores the ecological and environmental value of integrated aquatic-terrestrial buffer zone namely, constructed wetlands, strips of riparian vegetations and controlled drainage systems, in alleviating these effects and improving livestock production systems sustainability. Extensive field assessments were to be made to quantify the pre and post intervention of the changes in nitrogen and phosphorus of surface runoff, the efficiency of the sediment load reduction, the stabilisation of the microclimate, and the level of ammonia emissions around the livestock enclosures. The buffer systems that were established showed significant changes in the form of reductions in the extent of nitrogen and phosphorus runoff by nearly 32 to 47 percent, there was significant reduction in the level of soil erosion by a significant margin of 32 to 47 percent, the conditions of air and water microclimates had been significantly improved, and there was also an increase in soil moisture conservation in the adjacent grazing pastures. These biophysical conditions were associated with significant changes in the livestock welfare as animals kept in proximity to buffer zones were more thermally comfortable, fewer heat-stress biomarkers, and fewer stress-related behaviours, indicating a strong connexion between the ecological landscape management and physiological welfare. The paper highlights the usefulness of the nature-based buffer zone that is envisioned as multifunctional tools of environment management that can protect the aquatic ecosystems, enhance a better environmental quality on farms, and create more resiliency-dependent and welfare-concentrated breeding and livestock production methods. The results add to the emerging support on the use of ecological engineering practises in the management of agricultural land and illustrate the possibilities of broader utilisation of buffer systems in areas where livestock production engages with the sensitive water bodies.