Influence of synthetic sheep urine on the microbial biomass,activity and community structure in two pastures in the Scottish uplands

The impact of urine on the microbial biomass, activity and community structure was compared in the soil beneath two pastures in the Scottish uplands; Fasset, a natural Agrostis capillaris–Festuca ovina–Galium saxatile grassland and Strathfinella, a semi-natural grassland, improved with fertiliser addition. Community level physiological profiles (CLPP) were used to characterise the microbial communities. The utilisation of sugars, oligosaccharides, alcohols, carboxylic acids, long chain aliphatic acids, acidic, basic and neutral amino acids, amide N, phenolic acids and long chain aliphatic acids was used to compare the soils and the impact of synthetic urine addition. In the untreated soils, the utilisation of all the substrates decreased from the first week in May through to October. Averaged over all times and urine treatment, the potential utilisation of all substrates except for phenolic acids, long chain aliphatic acids and carboxylic acids was greater in the improved and more intensively grazed Strathfinella site. When averaged over all sample times, urine increased the utilisation of sugars, oligosaccharides, basic amino acids and amide N and the increases were greater in the unimproved, less intensively grazed, Fasset soil than that at Strathfinella. The effect of urine tended to be greatest during the period between 2 and 5 weeks after urine addition when utilisation of alcohols, acidic and neutral amino acids was also increased. Microbial biomass C in the control soils was 155.9 and 112.7 g C m⁻² at Fasset and Strathfinella, respectively. Values did not change significantly with time and were unchanged by the addition of urine. However, urine addition significantly increased basal respiration rates at Fasset and decreased them at Strathfinella. Urine also increased bacterial numbers in both soils, but had no consistent effect on fungi or yeasts. The significance of these findings for studies of soil microbial community structure and activity in grazed upland grasslands is discussed. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Temporal changes in C,P and N concentrations in soil solution following application of synthetic sheep urine to a soil under grass

We have determined the temporal changes in the concentration of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and P and N components in soil solution following application of synthetic sheep urine (500 kg N ha^-1) to a brown forest soil in boxes sown with Agrostis capillaris. Three contrasting defoliation treatments (no cutting, single cut before urine application and regular cutting twice per week) plus a fallow soil were studied. The synthetic urine contained ¹⁵N labelled urea and was P-free. Intact soil cores were taken after 2, 7, 14, 21 and 56 d and centrifuged to obtain soil solution. The urea in the synthetic urine was rapidly hydrolysed in the soil, increasing soil solution pH, DOC and total dissolved phosphorus (TDP) concentrations. For the regularly defoliated sward, DOC and P reached maximum concentrations (4000 mg DOC L^-1 and 59 mg TDP L^-1) on day 7. From their peak values, pH and DOC and P concentrations generally decreased with time and at day 56 were near those of the control. Concentrations of NH₄ ⁺ and NO₃ ^- in the no-urine treatments fluctuated and the greatest treatment differences were between the fallow soil and the soil sown with grass. Adding synthetic urine increased NH₄ ⁺ concentrations during the first week, but NO₃ ^- concentrations decreased. This was consistent with the ¹⁵N labelling of the NO₃ ^- pool which required 3 weeks to reach that of ¹⁵NH₄ ⁺. Dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) reached a maximum value at day 7 with a concentration of 409 mg N L^-1. The DON in soil solution contained no detectable amounts of ¹⁵N label indicating that it was derived from sources in the soil. Differences in soil solution composition related to the effect of the other cutting treatments and the fallow treatment were small compared to the effect of synthetic urine addition. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

The influence of synthetic sheep urine on ammonia oxidizing bacterial communities in grassland soil

In grazed, grassland soils, sheep urine generates heterogeneity in ammonia concentrations, with potential impact on ammonia oxidizer community structure and soil N cycling. The influence of different levels of synthetic sheep urine on ammonia oxidizers was studied in grassland soil microcosms. 'Total' and active ammonia oxidizers were distinguished by comparing denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) profiles following PCR and RT-PCR amplification of 16S rRNA gene fragments, targeting DNA and RNA, respectively. The RNA-based approach indicated earlier, more reproducible and finer scale qualitative shifts in ammonia oxidizing communities than DNA-based analysis, but led to amplification of a small number of nonammonia oxidizer sequences. Qualitative changes in RNA-derived DGGE profiles were related to changes in nitrate accumulation. Sequence analysis of excised DGGE bands revealed that ammonia oxidizing communities in synthetic sheep urine-treated soils consisted mainly of Nitrosospira clusters 2, 3 and 4. Nitrosospira cluster 2 increased in relative abundance in microcosms treated with all levels of synthetic sheep urine. Low levels additionally led to increased relative abundance of Nitrosospira cluster 4 and medium and high levels increased relative abundance of cluster 3. Synthetic sheep urine is therefore likely to influence the spatial distribution and composition of ammonia oxidizer communities, with consequent effects on nitrate accumulation.     

Nitrogen cycling in grazed pastures at elevated CO2: N returns by ruminants

In pastures grazed by large herbivores, nutrients cycle both through litter and animal excreta. We compared nitrogen (N) returns from sheep grazing a temperate pasture exposed to ambient or elevated CO₂ (475 μmol mol^?1) in a FACE (Free Air CO₂ Enrichment) experiment established in the spring of 1997. In the spring of 2000 and 2001, we measured the chemical composition of the diet, sheep faeces and of individual plant species before grazing to characterize feed intake and to compare the intake of N to the N produced in faeces. In both years under elevated CO₂, leaves of the individual species exhibited lower N concentrations and higher water‐soluble carbohydrate (WSC) concentrations. There was a significantly greater proportion of legume in the diet at elevated CO₂ but, together with the changes in chemical composition of individual species, this resulted in diets that had similar N but higher WSC and digestibility for both ambient and elevated CO₂. We found that a greater proportion of dietary N was partitioned to urine at elevated CO₂, probably because of the higher proportion of legume N in the diet, with possible differences in protein quality. A potentially significant consequence of this change in partitioning is greater N loss through volatilization at higher CO₂ levels.     

Leaf P increase outpaces leaf N in an Inner Mongolia grassland over 27 years

The dynamics of leaf nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) have been intensively explored in short-term experiments, but rarely at longer timescales. Here, we investigated leaf N : P stoichiometry over a 27-year interval in an Inner Mongolia grassland by comparing leaf N : P concentration of 2006 with that of 1979. Across 80 species, both leaf N and P increased, but the increase in leaf N lagged behind that of leaf P, leading to a significant decrease in the N : P ratio. These changes in leaf N : P stoichiometry varied among functional groups. For leaf N, grasses increased, woody species tended to increase, whereas forbs showed no change. Unlike leaf N, leaf P of grasses and forbs increased, whereas woody species showed no change. Such changes may reflect N deposition and P release induced by soil acidification over the past decades. The interannual effect of precipitation may somewhat have reduced the soil available N, leading to the more modest increase of leaf N than of leaf P. Thus, leaf N : P stoichiometry significantly responded to long-term environmental changes in this temperate steppe, but different functional groups responded differently. Our results indicate that conclusions of plant stoichiometry under short-term N fertilization should be treated with caution when extrapolating to longer timescales.     

Effects of sheep urine on growth characteristics of different life form plants in a Chinese steppe grassland

The effects of sheep urine deposition volume (0, 1, 2 or 4 L/m²) and deposition stage of plant growth (vegetative or reproductive) on the number and size of tillers/branches and the biomass of Stipa bungeana, Artemisia capillaries and Lespedeza davurica in a Chinese steppe grassland were determined. The results indicate that the response of the three plant species to sheep urine deposition differs, and is influenced by both urine deposition volume and deposition stage of plant growth. Urine deposition had a short-term scorch effect on grassland plants, which mainly occurred in the inner zone of urine patches. Urine application had a long-term positive effect on S. bungeana and a long-term negative effect on A. capillaries and L. davurica, which lasted at least two years and decreased with decrease in urine deposition volume. All species growing in the inner zone of urine patches were scorched by sheep urine deposition, some species in the marginal zone of patches were also scorched, while no species were scorched in the outer zones. The reproductive and vegetative stages of A. capillaries and the reproductive stages of S. bungeana and L. davurica were sensitive to sheep urine deposition.     

Effects of sheep urine on growth characteristics of different life form plants in a Chinese steppe grassland

The effects of sheep urine deposition volume (0, 1, 2 or 4 L/m²) and deposition stage of plant growth (vegetative or reproductive) on the number and size of tillers/branches and the biomass of Stipa bungeana, Artemisia capillaries and Lespedeza davurica in a Chinese steppe grassland were determined. The results indicate that the response of the three plant species to sheep urine deposition differs, and is influenced by both urine deposition volume and deposition stage of plant growth. Urine deposition had a short-term scorch effect on grassland plants, which mainly occurred in the inner zone of urine patches. Urine application had a long-term positive effect on S. bungeana and a long-term negative effect on A. capillaries and L. davurica, which lasted at least two years and decreased with decrease in urine deposition volume. All species growing in the inner zone of urine patches were scorched by sheep urine deposition, some species in the marginal zone of patches were also scorched, while no species were scorched in the outer zones. The reproductive and vegetative stages of A. capillaries and the reproductive stages of S. bungeana and L. davurica were sensitive to sheep urine deposition.     

羊尿对典型草原不同生活型草地植物生长特性的影响

连续2a研究了施尿量(4,2,1L/m2和0 L/m2)和施尿期(营养期和生殖期)对典型草原多年生密丛型禾本科植物长芒草(Stipa bungeana)、多年生轴根型菊科植物茵陈蒿(Artemisia capillaries)和多年生半灌木豆科植物胡枝子(Lespedeza davurica)生长特性的影响.结果表明,不同植物对畜尿沉积的响应不同,并受施尿量和施尿时期的作用.畜尿对草地植物具短期(4周内)灼烧作用,灼烧主要发生于尿斑中心;畜尿对长芒草生长具长期正效应(4周后),对茵陈蒿和胡枝子生长具持续负效应,此效应持续至少2a且随施尿量降低而降低.一般尿斑中心(4 L/m2)所有植物伤害,尿斑中心至边缘圈植物局部器官(嫩枝叶)伤害(2～4 L/m2),尿斑外渗区域(1～2 L/m2)所有植物无显著伤害.高施尿量(2～4 L/m2)下,长芒草具较高的年均分蘖数和地上生物量,而胡枝子和茵陈蒿与之相反.尿斑处3种植物具较高的分蘖(枝)死亡率和死物质率.茵陈蒿对各时期施尿均反应敏感,胡枝子和长芒草对生殖期施尿更敏感.尿斑处禾草枯黄期延迟,返青期提前.     

氮磷添加对内蒙古温带典型草原净氮矿化的影响

氮素矿化是决定土壤供氮能力的重要生态过程, 也是目前国内外土壤氮循环研究的重点。养分添加在调节土壤的氮转化方面起着重要的作用。该文以内蒙古锡林河流域温带典型草原为研究对象, 通过不同水平的氮(N)和磷(P)养分添加实验, 利用树脂芯原位培养法分析研究不同水平施氮、施磷对生长季草地土壤氮矿化的影响。结果表明: 高氮处理对草地土壤硝态氮(NO₃^- -N)、铵态氮(NH₄⁺ -N)及无机氮都有明显的影响, 其中25 g N·m^?2·a^?1和10 g N·m^?2·a^?1高氮处理显著提高了无机氮含量, 25 g N·m^?2·a^?1高氮处理显著增加土壤的NO₃^- -N及NH₄⁺ -N含量。与施氮相比, 施磷处理对土壤NO₃^--N、NH₄⁺ -N及无机氮的影响较为有限, 只有12.5 g P₂O₅·m^-2·a^-1的磷处理显著促进了NO₃^- -N及无机氮含量。高氮处理对草地土壤氮素转化有明显影响, 其中25 g N·m^?2·a^?1高氮处理对净硝化速率、氨化速率及矿化速率都有显著的促进作用, 说明高梯度的施氮处理有利于提高土壤的供氮能力。氮是内蒙古锡林河流域草原生态系统有机氮矿化的限制因子。与施氮相比, 施磷处理对草地土壤氮转化的作用较为有限, 仅有12.5 g P₂O₅·m^-2·a^-1 + 2 g N·m^?2·a^?1处理显著促进生长季中期的净氨化速率。说明施磷对土壤氮转化的影响弱于施氮的影响。养分添加显著提高了草地的地上生物量。 养分添加情景下, 土壤湿度与净矿化速率极显著相关, 表明湿度是影响该区域温带草原土壤氮矿化的主效因素。环境因子(如有机碳含量、土壤全氮及土壤C/N)与不同氮处理下的净矿化速率之间显著相关, 而土壤微生物碳、氮含量与土壤氮矿化均没有显著相关性。     

青藏高原草地植物群落冠层叶片氮磷化学计量学分析

叶片氮(N)和磷(P)的化学计量学研究涉及到植物生态学的众多领域与多个尺度, 然而各个尺度上的化学计量学研究并未同步展开。通过对青藏高原47个草地样地连续3年的调查, 分析了当地群落水平上的植物叶片N、P含量及其化学计量学特征, 并结合温度和降水气候数据研究了N、P含量及N:P比值与这两个气候因子的相关关系。研究结果显示: 青藏高原草地群落水平的叶片N含量变化范围为14.8-36.7 mg·g^-1, 平均为23.2 mg·g^-1; P含量变化范围为0.8-2.8 mg·g^-1, 平均为1.7 mg·g^-1; N:P比值变化范围为6.8-25.6, 平均为13.5。群落叶片N含量与P含量呈显著正相关关系, 叶片的N:P比值与P含量呈显著负相关关系, N:P比值的变化主要由P含量变化决定。另外发现: 群落水平叶片N、P含量及N:P比值存在着显著的年际变化, 叶片的N、P含量及N:P比值与年平均气温之间存在着极显著的相关关系。通过该研究结果推测: P含量较高的变异系数及其与环境因子表现出的显著相关性, 在一定程度上体现了植物群落对当地气候条件的一种适应。     

Comparison of initial wetting pattern,nutrient concentrations in soil solution and the fate of15N-labelled urine in sheep and cattle urine patch areas of pasture soil

Three field experiments were carried out to compare cattle and sheep urine patches in relation to (i) initial wetting pattern and volume of soil affected, (ii) soil solution ionic composition and (iii) the fate of¹⁵N-labelled urine in the soil over the winter period. The distribution of Br^– (used as a urine tracer) across the soil surface and down the profile was irregular in all the patches. The pasture area covered by Br^– in the sheep patches was 0.04–0.06 m² and Br^– was detected to a depth of 150 mm. Cattle patches were significantly larger covering a surface area of 0.38–0.42 m² and penetrating to a depth of 400 mm. The rapid downward movement of urine occurred through macropore flow but even so, over half of the applied Br^– was detected in the 0–50 mm soil layer in both sheep and cattle patches. Due to the larger volume of urine added to the cattle patches (2000 mL for cattle and 200 mL for sheep) the effective application rate was about 5 L m^–2 compared with 4 L m^–2 for sheep. Concentrations of extractable mineral N and ionic concentrations in soil solution were higher in cattle than sheep patches particularly near the soil surface. In both sheep and cattle patches, urea was rapidly hydrolysed to NH ₄ ⁺ and nitrification occurred between 14 and 29 days after urine application. Initially the major anions and cations in the soil solution were HCO ₃ ^– , SO ₄ ⁼ , Cl^–, NH ₄ ⁺ , Mg⁺⁺, K⁺ and Na⁺, which were derived from the urine application. Ionic concentrations in the soil solution decreased appreciably over time due to plant uptake and possibly some leaching. As nitrification proceeded, NO ₃ ^– became the dominant anion in soil solution and the major accompanying cation was Ca⁺⁺. The fate of¹⁵N-labelled urine-urea was followed during a 5 month period beginning in late autumn. Greater leaching losses of NO ₃ ^– occurred below cattle patches (equivalent to 60 kg N ha^–1 below 300 mm and 37 kg N ha^–1 below 600 mm) compared with sheep patches (10 kg N ha^–1 below 300 mm and 1 kg N ha^– below 600 mm). While 6% of the applied¹⁵N was leached the amount of N leached was equivalent to 11% of the applied urine-N in cattle patches. This suggests that there was significant immobilsation-mineralisation turnover in urine patch soil with the release of mineral N from native soil organic matter. In both sheep and cattle patches 60% of the¹⁵N was accounted for in plant uptake, remaining in the soil and leaching. About 40% of the applied N was therefore lost through gaseous emission.     

三种纤毛虫对土壤微生物量和有效氮磷含量的影响

采用土壤培养方法研究了 3种纤毛虫对土壤微生物量及氮磷转化的影响 ,结果表明 ,向土壤接种肾形虫 ( Colopodia sp.)、尖毛虫 ( Oxytricna sp.)和澳毛虫 ( Australothrix sp.) ,特别是澳毛虫 ,显著地降低了土壤微生物碳。说明供试的原生动物与微生物之间存在消长关系。接种澳毛虫显著地降低了土壤有效磷含量 ,而肾形虫和尖毛虫对土壤有效磷含量影响很小 ,仅在培养后期显著地降低了土壤铵态氮含量 ,3种原生动物特别是澳毛虫 ,显著地降低了土壤氮矿化量和硝态氮含量 ,但提高了土壤铵态氮含量 ,说明 3种原生动物抑制了硝化作用 ,而增强了氨化作用。     

氮、磷添加对半干旱沙质草地植被养分动态的影响

通过对科尔沁半干旱沙质草地进行田间施肥试验,测定植被组成中黄蒿和白草在生长季内(7~10月)的养分动态变化,并结合N∶P化学计量学的原理和方法,研究了半干旱沙质草地的养分限制状况。结果表明,N、P添加下黄蒿和白草地上部分N、P养分浓度都具有明显的季节动态变化。其中,黄蒿和白草地上部分N浓度随时间呈递减的趋势,且它们随时间的递减规律分别可用线性函数Y=a bX以及幂函数Y=aXb模拟表示,函数中系数b的绝对值可以反映不同养分状况下植株的生长速率;对P浓度来说,黄蒿和白草地上部分P浓度与时间的关系可以用二次函数Y=aX2 bX c模拟。比较试验条件下植株体内N、P浓度的变化可知,在科尔沁半干旱沙质草地,N素是黄蒿和白草生长的主要养分限制因子,N肥添加下黄蒿和白草地上部分N浓度以及N∶P都显著的增加;P肥添加促进了白草对N素和P素的吸收,使地上部分N、P浓度增加,而对黄蒿没有显著的影响。     

不同肥料对土壤养分三要素平衡与累积的影响

本文探讨不同肥料、施肥结构、施肥方法对土壤养分三要素平衡与累积的影响。结果表明,不同形态单位氮素投入对土壤氮素盈余影响为猪粪> 化肥> 稻草,对土壤全氮提高的影响为稻草> 化肥> 猪粪;不同形态单位磷素投入对土壤磷素盈余的影响为猪粪> 化肥> 稻草,对土壤全磷提高的影响为化肥> 猪粪> 稻草;不同形态单位钾素投入对土壤钾素盈余影响为化肥> 猪粪> 稻草,对缓解土壤钾素下降的影响为猪粪> 稻草> 化肥。     

小球藻净化污水中氮磷能力的研究

在小球藻液中分别添加不同浓度的N、P溶液,研究小球藻净化氮、磷的能力。实验结果表明,氮磷组合浓度不同时对小球藻吸收氮、磷有一定影响;在最佳pH为8.0-8.5的条件下,吸收率可达80％左右;升高温度或加强光照有利于小球藻对磷、氮的吸收。小球藻对氮、磷的吸附随着培养时间的延长而逐渐升高。     

Rising burden of immature sheep ticks (Ixodes ricinus) on red grouse (Lagopus lagopus scoticus) chicks in the Scottish uplands

The sheep tick Ixodes ricinus (L.) (Acari: Ixodidae) is an ectoparasite of major economic and pathogenic importance in Scotland. Its distribution in the Scottish uplands is assumed to be governed by the abundance and distribution of its definitive hosts (deer and sheep) and climatic variables such as temperature and rainfall. As the numbers of its major host in Scotland, red deer, have increased dramatically and climatic conditions have become more favourable, the level of parasitism could have been expected to rise. We use data gathered from tick counts on over 4000 red grouse chicks Lagopus lagopus scoticus Latham (Galliformes: Tetraonidae) in various experiments over the past 19 years to ascertain whether the intensity and prevalence of parasitism has been increasing. From 1985 to 2003 the average tick burden of a parasitized red grouse chick has grown from 2.60 +/- 1.12 ticks per chick to 12.71 +/- 1.44. Over this period the percentage of chicks of a given brood parasitized has also increased from 4 +/- 2% to 92 +/- 3%. The possible implications of this increase in parasitism for red grouse production are discussed.     

放牧对全球草地生态系统碳氮磷化学计量特征影响的Meta分析

为明确全球尺度下放牧管理措施对草地生态系统碳(C)、氮(N)、磷(P)化学计量特征的影响,提高草地生态系统管理水平,本研究选取国内外83篇中英文文献进行Meta分析,并通过亚组分析探讨了放牧家畜组合(羊单牧、牛单牧和牛羊混牧)和放牧强度(轻度、中度、重度)对草地生态系统叶片、凋落物、根系,以及土壤C、N、P化学计量特征的影响。结果表明: 放牧会显著降低叶片和凋落物C含量、C/N、C/P,增加N、P含量及N/P;显著降低根系和土壤C、N含量,C/P和N/P,增加P含量和C/N。叶片、凋落物化学计量特征变化对牛、羊单独放牧响应更为明显,而根系、土壤化学计量特征变化则对混牧响应更为明显,重度放牧会对草地生态系统化学计量特征产生更大的影响。放牧会降低土壤N含量,增加P含量,表明放牧对草地N、P含量的影响路径不同。进一步研究N、P含量变化对放牧活动不平衡响应机制,将放牧方式、强度的影响纳入草地生态系统预测、管理模型,能够有效提高草地生态系统管理水平。     

洞庭湖区不同利用方式对土壤微生物生物量碳氮磷的影响

以湖南省沅江市典型湖垸为代表,通过密集取样分析,研究了洞庭湖区不同利用方式条件下农田土壤微生物生物量碳、氮、磷的变化及其和土壤碳、氮、磷的关系,发现水田土壤碳、氮和微生物生物量碳、氮明显高于旱地,水田土壤中双季稻高于一季稻;土壤磷的含量旱地稍高于水田,但土壤微生物生物量磷水田稍高于旱地.尽管在水田土壤中微生物生物量碳、氮有明显的不同,但水田土壤微生物生物量磷维持在相对稳定的水平.典型样区土壤微生物生物量碳占有机碳的比例为0.65%～7.24%,平均3.00%;土壤微生物生物量氮占全氮的比例为0.98%～7.41%,平均3.81%;土壤微生物生物量磷占全磷的比例为0.16%～7.54%,平均2.80%.土壤C/N为3.87～17.31,平均9.15;BC/BN为4.06～9.29,平均7.26.土壤微生物生物量碳、氮与土壤碳、氮之间存在极其显著的线性相关关系,但土壤微生物生物量磷占全磷之间相关关系不显著.土壤微生物生物量碳、氮、磷之间的相关关系达到了极显著水平.不同的利用方式和耕作制度导致了土壤碳、氮和微生物生物量碳、氮的差异,土壤微生物生物量碳、氮能够很好地反映洞庭湖区农田土壤碳、氮水平.     

Uptake and leaching of nitrogen from artificial urine applied to grassland on different dates during the growing season

Artificial urine, equivalent to 30 g N m^-2, was applied to replicated plots in a perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) sward, each plot receiving a single application on one of six dates between July and November 1990. Recoveries of urine-N in herbage up to the end of the growing season in November decreased linearly for consecutive application dates, ranging from 40% of the urine-N applied in July to a negligible proportion of the final application. In contrast, contents of urine-derived N remaining in the soil (to 1-m depth) in November increased from 3% of the N applied in July to 66% for the final application. Almost all of this was present as nitrate + nitrite-N. Only soils that had received urine in September or later contained significantly greater quatities of mineral-N than the control plots. The mineral-N content of soils collected the following April indicated that most of this urine-derived N had been lost from the soil over the winter. Estimates of the quantities of N leached ranged from 0.7 g N m^-2 from untreated plots to 18.6 g N m^-2 from plots treated with urine in November. Although grass yields and N uptakes in March and April provided evidence of a residual effect from the previous year's urine applications, contents of mineral-N and of potentially mineralisable N in urine-treated soils in April were not significantly different from those in untreated soils.     

Use of Clonostachys rosea against sheep nematodes developing in pastures

The fungus Clonostachys rosea f. rosea has the potential to control gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) of sheep. A study was conducted using adult Merino sheep. Gender, egg count and initial body weights (BWs) were used to categorise animals into four groups which were randomly assigned to one of four C. rosea dietary treatments. Treatments were mixed with a complete diet and fed to sheep once daily for 10 weeks. There was no effect of treatment on eggs per gram of faeces. However, treatments reduced the number of larvae per gram in faecal cultures (P < 0.001) and larval development (LD) time (P < 0.001). Efficacy of treatments increased (P < 0.001) with time. On Day 70, treatments of 0.25, 0.5 and 1.0 g of C. rosea chlamydospores per kilogram BW reduced LD time by 33, 72 and 89%, respectively, whereas in the control, LD was reduced by only 2.6%. C. rosea significantly (P < 0.001) reduced numbers of third-stage larvae (L₃) found in pastures. Our findings suggest that daily feeding with C. rosea has a potential to reduce larval stages of GIN in pastures.