Carbon Storage After Long-Term Grass Establishment on Degraded Soils

Potter, K. N.; Torbert, H. Allen; Johnson, H.B.; Tischler, C. R.

doi:10.1097/00010694-199910000-00002

Cited by 133 publications

(79 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…A transition from LC to MP will generate a low net carbon emission rate of 20.5 kg·C·ha Therefore, it is worth noting that even though the GHG emissions in SGP region are higher on a per calf basis compared to the values reported in other regions of the world [16,44], net GHG emissions are likely negative when we take the carbon sequestration into account (Table 4). This is consistent with results from NGP region reported by Liebig et al [12] where, when using a modest annual SOC sequestration rate of 0.17 tons·C·ha as from LC to MP as reported in the 20-year scenario (Table 4), it will take an additional 116 years for the current SOC stock under MP practice to reach that of the native prairie reported by Potter et al [39], which averaged 160.78 Mg·C·ha from LC to MP as reported in the 15-year scenario is assumed, then it will take 87 years to reach the SOC level of the native prairie. Thus, the upward trend in C sequestration will likely continue for a number of decades.…”

Section: Carbon Sequestrationsupporting

confidence: 91%

“…HC has the lowest SOC stock, which is 27% lower than that for MP. Note that our results on SOC stock were comparable to the findings of Potter et al [39], also in SGP region, where the SOC stock for the 6-year, 26-year and 60-year restored grassland, which were original agricultural land, were 110.0, 103.1 and 132.6 Mg·ha −1 respectively. We can see that our SOC stock value for the MP scenario is very close to that of the 60-year restored grassland; even SOC stock for LC is much higher than the 6-year and 26-year restored grassland.…”

Section: Ghg Emissionssupporting

confidence: 90%

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GHG Mitigation Potential of Different Grazing Strategies in the United States Southern Great Plains

Wang

Teague²,

Park³

et al. 2015

Sustainability

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Abstract:The possibility of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by ruminants using improved grazing is investigated by estimating GHG emissions for cow-calf farms under light continuous (LC), heavy continuous (HC) and rotational grazing, also known as multi-paddock (MP), management strategies in Southern Great Plain (SGP) using life cycle assessment (LCA). Our results indicated a GHG emission with these grazing treatments of 8034.90 kg·CO2e·calffor cow-calf farms in SGP region, which is high, compared to that for other regions, due to the high percentage (79.6%) of enteric CH4 emissions caused by relatively lower feed quality on the unfertilized rangeland. Sensitivity analyses on MP grazing strategy showed that an increase in grass quality and digestibility could potentially reduce GHG emission by 30%. Despite higher GHG emissions on a per calf basis, net GHG emissions in SGP region are potentially negative when carbon (C) sequestration is taken into account. With net C emission rates of −2002.8, −1731.6 and −89.5 kg C ha −1 ·year −1 after converting from HC to MP, HC to LC and from LC to MP, our analysis indicated cow-calf farms converting from continuous to MP grazing in SGP region are likely net carbon sinks for decades.

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Section: Carbon Sequestrationsupporting

confidence: 91%

Section: Ghg Emissionssupporting

confidence: 90%

GHG Mitigation Potential of Different Grazing Strategies in the United States Southern Great Plains

Wang

Teague²,

Park³

et al. 2015

Sustainability

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“…However, most grassland area is currently influenced through agriculture, and cropland now repre-sents the second most extensive anthropogenic biome covering 20% of the ice-free surface on Earth (Ellis and Ramankutty 2008). Cultivation of grasslands has reduced soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) stocks by 30-60% (Haas et al 1957, Mann 1986, Parton et al 1988, Burke et al 1989, Potter et al 1999, Conant et al 2001, McLauchlan 2006a) through reduced quantity and quality of organic matter inputs (Kong et al 2005), and enhanced decomposition of organic matter exposed through disturbance of soil structure (Low 1972, Mann 1986, Collins et al 2000, Six et al 2000. Long-term cultivation lowers total C and N stocks to a new steady state equilibrium Stewart 1983, Parton et al 1988) and it is generally accepted that restoration of cultivated soil has the potential to sequester C (Paustian et al 1997a, Lal et al 1998, Post and Kwon 2000, Conant et al 2001, Follett 2001, Lal 2003.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Contrasting ecosystem recovery on two soil textures: implications for carbon mitigation and grassland conservation

Baer¹,

Meyer²,

Bach³

et al. 2010

Ecosphere

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Abstract. Understanding processes that promote or constrain ecosystem recovery from disturbance is needed to predict the restorative potential of degraded systems. We quantified a suite of ecosystem properties and processes across two chronosequences of restored grasslands on contrasting soil textures to test the hypothesis that restorations on silty clay loam soil would exhibit greater recovery of soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) pools and fluxes than on loamy fine sand because soil with higher clay content possesses a greater capacity to physico-chemically protect organic matter. Warm-season grass aboveground net primary productivity was similar between the two soil textures. Root biomass increased and root quality (as indexed by C:N ratio) decreased across both chronosequences. An asymptote in the accumulation of N in roots in the silty clay loam chronosequence resulted in wider C:N ratios of roots than in the loamy fine sand chronosequence. Total soil C (TC) and microbial biomass C (MBC) increased across the silty clay loam chronosequence at 21.2 and 5.7 g CÁm À2 Áyr À1, respectively, and contained .6 times the amount of C in large macroaggregates and nearly 3 times the aggregate mean weighted diameter (MWD) relative to cultivated soil following 15 yrs of restoration. In contrast, there were no changes in TC, MBC, or MWD in the loamy fine sand chronosequence. Total and microbial biomass N increased at 2.0 and 0.27 g NÁm À2 Áyr À1 , respectively, across the silty clay loam chronosequence, and restored soil contained nearly 6 times large macroaggregate N than cultivated soil following 15 yrs of restoration. Potential net N mineralization rates declined with years of grass establishment in both soil textures, but overall rates were lower in the silty clay loam soil relative to the loamy fine sand, which was attributed to lower quality root systems, more improved soil structure, and larger microbial biomass. Thus, the potential for restored agricultural lands to mitigate CO 2 emissions over the short term cannot be generalized across all soils. Lastly, the low restorative potential of cultivated loamy fine sand soil through grassland restoration within two decades (relevant to many conservation programs) underscores the need to prioritize preservation of remnant sand prairies.

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“…Bioenergy perennial grasses have the potential to sequester about 318 Tg C in USA and 1631 Tg C worldwide [5]. Perennial grasses also increased soil total N (STN) compared with corn-soybean rotation [29,30]. Liebig et al [25], working on data from 42 different locations in Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota, concluded that SOC at 30-60 and 60-90 cm was 4.3-7.7 Mg C ha −1 greater under switchgrass than croplands.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Root and soil total carbon and nitrogen under bioenergy perennial grasses with various nitrogen rates

Sainju

Allen

Lenssen

et al. 2017

Biomass and Bioenergy

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As aboveground biomass of perennial grasses is harvested for feedstock or bioenergy production, root biomass C and N become primary C and N inputs for enhancing soil C and N sequestration. Information is scanty about root biomass C and N and subsequent soil C and N stocks under bioenergy perennial grasses applied with various N fertilization rates in semiarid regions. We evaluated the effect of perennial grass species and N rates on root biomass C and N and soil total C (STC) and total N (STN) stocks at the 0-120 cm depth from 2011 to 2013, 2-4 yr after grass establishment, in the northern Great Plains, USA. Perennial grasses were intermediate wheatgrass ( RightsWorks produced by employees of the U.S. Government as part of their official duties are not copyrighted within the U.S. The content of this document is not copyrighted. A B S T R A C TAs aboveground biomass of perennial grasses is harvested for feedstock or bioenergy production, root biomass C and N become primary C and N inputs for enhancing soil C and N sequestration. Information is scanty about root biomass C and N and subsequent soil C and N stocks under bioenergy perennial grasses applied with various N fertilization rates in semiarid regions. We evaluated the effect of perennial grass species and N rates on root biomass C and N and soil total C (

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Carbon Storage After Long-Term Grass Establishment on Degraded Soils

Cited by 133 publications

References 10 publications

GHG Mitigation Potential of Different Grazing Strategies in the United States Southern Great Plains

GHG Mitigation Potential of Different Grazing Strategies in the United States Southern Great Plains

Contrasting ecosystem recovery on two soil textures: implications for carbon mitigation and grassland conservation

Root and soil total carbon and nitrogen under bioenergy perennial grasses with various nitrogen rates

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