Grazing and soil carbon along a gradient of Alberta rangelands
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Authors: D. C. Henderson, B. H. Ellert, and M. A. Naeth
Date: 2004
Journal: Rangeland Ecology & Management
Volume: 57
Number: 4
Pages: 402-410
Summary of Methods: Grazing may alter the carbon sequestration of grasslands by altering above and below-ground carbon inputs and soil properties. In this study, Henderson et al. determined the long term (20+ years) effects of grazing versus grazing exclusion on carbon properties of Alberta grasslands. Grazing altered the species composition, increased the soil bulk density, and decreased the above-ground litter and vegetation carbon pools, all of which can alter below-ground soil properties and nutrient cycling. Soil carbon in mixed grass prairie was positively correlated with clay content, but no grazing effect could be detected when this subset was analyzed by ANCOVA. Henderson et al. note that current range management practices to maintain range types in good to poor condition appear to be consistent with maintaining the soil organic matter pool in the northern Great Plains.
Article Summary / Main Points: None
Vegetation Types:
MLRA Ecoregions:
Agrovoc Control Words: Riparian zones Rangelands Wildlife
Article Review Type: Refereed
Article Type: Experimental Research
Keywords: mixed grass prairie, equivalent soil mass, bulk density, clay, carbon sequestration, organic matter
Annotation: Grazing intensity is defined as "ungrazed" and "grazed".
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