Theme 1: Grassland Ecology
Carbon Storage and Sequestration Under Different Stocking Rates in a Eurasian Desert Steppe in China
Description
The research on carbon source/sink of terrestrial ecosystem is an important part of global climate change. Under the sustainable grazing management, the carbon storage in grassland ecosystem will increase, which promotes the carbon sequestration in the grassland area. In order to understand the carbon sequestration in grazing system of desert steppe, a sheep grazing experiment for completely random block design was conducted in desert steppe. There were 4 stocking rates and 3 replications in this experiment. The effects of annual precipitation and stocking rate on the carbon sequestration of desert steppe were compared. The stocking rate treatments were as follows: no grazing, light grazing, moderate grazing, and heavy grazing. Plant composition, biomass, individual plant carbon, soil carbon, emission of soil and livestock, and carbon flux of ecosystem were measured. We discussed carbon storage and carbon sequestration based on the above indicators. The results showed that stocking rate has different effects on the aboveground net primary production, belowground net primary production, carbon storage of grassland ecosystem, net ecosystem exchange and soil respiration. We further analyzed the impact factors of different variables, understood the carbon sequestration and transition process from plant to soil in this steppe. Finally, we concluded that the optimal stocking rate in desert steppe according to the vegetation, balance of soil nutrients and livestock performance, provides the theoretical reference for the sustainable grassland management based on grassland carbon sequestration.
Included in
Agricultural Science Commons, Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons, Plant Biology Commons, Plant Pathology Commons, Soil Science Commons, Weed Science Commons
Carbon Storage and Sequestration Under Different Stocking Rates in a Eurasian Desert Steppe in China
The research on carbon source/sink of terrestrial ecosystem is an important part of global climate change. Under the sustainable grazing management, the carbon storage in grassland ecosystem will increase, which promotes the carbon sequestration in the grassland area. In order to understand the carbon sequestration in grazing system of desert steppe, a sheep grazing experiment for completely random block design was conducted in desert steppe. There were 4 stocking rates and 3 replications in this experiment. The effects of annual precipitation and stocking rate on the carbon sequestration of desert steppe were compared. The stocking rate treatments were as follows: no grazing, light grazing, moderate grazing, and heavy grazing. Plant composition, biomass, individual plant carbon, soil carbon, emission of soil and livestock, and carbon flux of ecosystem were measured. We discussed carbon storage and carbon sequestration based on the above indicators. The results showed that stocking rate has different effects on the aboveground net primary production, belowground net primary production, carbon storage of grassland ecosystem, net ecosystem exchange and soil respiration. We further analyzed the impact factors of different variables, understood the carbon sequestration and transition process from plant to soil in this steppe. Finally, we concluded that the optimal stocking rate in desert steppe according to the vegetation, balance of soil nutrients and livestock performance, provides the theoretical reference for the sustainable grassland management based on grassland carbon sequestration.
