Dietary treatments did not affect the concentrations of total VFA, acetate, and butyrate, whereas increasing legume proportion increased propionate concentration (P = 0.03).
Methane production was decreased by increasing legume proportions, and the result was particularly notable in TF+BT due to increased condensed tannin concentration.
Total estimated N2 fixation for all Canadian farmland increased from 0.996 Tg in 1981 to 1.767 Tg in 2006, primarily due to an increased legume hectare over time (from 9 to 15 Mha).
In contrast, Lotus corniculatus, the small-statured legume, showed increasing levels of amino acids, organic acids, sugars and precursors of secondary metabolites in response to increasing legume proportions (Table 2).
Metabolomics analysis revealed that plant diversity in terms of increasing species richness had significant effects on small-statured non-legume herb species indicating light and nutrient limitation, and increasing legume abundances had facilitative effects on the small-statured legume.
In an analysis examining T/L as an outcome with the separate components of the aMED, T/L was lower with increased legume consumption (β=−0.280, 95% CI −0.550 ,−0.010 but was higher with increased consumption of red and processed meat (β=0.060, 95% CI 0.002,0.117).
Methane mitigation for the cow herd may be achieved by improving the digestibility of annual and perennial forages through grazing management, increasing legume composition and utilization of species containing secondary metabolites such as tannins or saponins that affect methanogenesis in the rumen (Beauchemin et al., 2008 and 2009).
The picture is slightly clearer when looking at sub-groups: the Great Recession appears to have been somewhat detrimental for unemployed men, whose consumption of healthy foods such as fruit (legumes) decreased more (not increased) compared to those employed while not increasing legumes consumption as among the employed.
Soil C and N accumulation rates and microbial biomass content were generally increased after rotation, with a greater increase in legume-cereal rotation than in cereal-cereal rotation.
The standard advice also included regular physical activity, with dietary strategies to increase dietary fiber (legume, fruits and vegetables) and decrease intake of fat and saturated fat.
