Track 2-05: Carbon Sequestration and Cycling
Description
Desert ecosystems have been reported as the location of the long-sought ‘missing sink’ for atmospheric carbon dioxide and as a potentially important area for carbon sequestering from fossil fuel combustion in the future (Stone 2008). Researchers have found that net uptake of carbon in the Mojave Desert ranged from 102 to 127 g C m2/yr during a 3-year period, which is equivalent to the net ecosystem production of many forest ecosystems with a much higher biomass (Luyssaert et al. 2007; Wohlfahrt et al. 2008). Shrub is the dominant plant of desert ecosystems (Gratani et al. 2011); hence, it is important to understand the dynamics of carbon sequestration by shrubs as well as their role in desert ecosystem carbon balance. Information on the carbon sequestration associated with shrub size is limited. Our objective was, therefore, to find out the relationship between carbon sequestration potential and size of shrubs.
Included in
Carbon Sequestration in Relation to Shrub Size in the Desert Ecosystem
Desert ecosystems have been reported as the location of the long-sought ‘missing sink’ for atmospheric carbon dioxide and as a potentially important area for carbon sequestering from fossil fuel combustion in the future (Stone 2008). Researchers have found that net uptake of carbon in the Mojave Desert ranged from 102 to 127 g C m2/yr during a 3-year period, which is equivalent to the net ecosystem production of many forest ecosystems with a much higher biomass (Luyssaert et al. 2007; Wohlfahrt et al. 2008). Shrub is the dominant plant of desert ecosystems (Gratani et al. 2011); hence, it is important to understand the dynamics of carbon sequestration by shrubs as well as their role in desert ecosystem carbon balance. Information on the carbon sequestration associated with shrub size is limited. Our objective was, therefore, to find out the relationship between carbon sequestration potential and size of shrubs.
