科研进展

【论文题目】Grazing decreased soil organic carbon by decreasing aboveground biomass in a desert steppe in Inner Mongolia

【论文题目】放牧通过减少地上生物量来降低内蒙古荒漠草原土壤有机碳

【作者】Yuehua Wang, Zhongwu Wang, Haigang Li*, Tingting Shen, Xin Zhang, Jiangwen Li, Guodong Han*

【作者】王悦骅，王忠武，李海港，沈婷婷，张鑫，李江文，韩国栋

【期刊名称和年（卷、期）】Journal of Environmental Management 2023, 347: 119112

【Abstract】The mechanisms through which stocking rates affect soil organic carbon in desert steppe landscapes are not fully understood. To address this research gap, we investigated changes in the biomass of Stipa breviflora plant communities and soils in a desert steppe. Through our research findings, we can establish an appropriate stocking rate for Stipa breviflora desert steppe. The establishment serves as a theoretical foundation for effectively maintaining elevated productivity levels and increasing the carbon sink, thereby offering a valuable contribution towards mitigate climate change. This study examined the effects of different stocking rates on soil organic carbon input, sequestration, and output and found: (1) For soil organic carbon input, the aboveground and litter biomass of plant communities decreased with increasing stocking rate. (2) Grazing treatments did not affect soil organic carbon retention. (3) Regarding soil organic carbon output, the grazing treatments exhibited no significant alteration in soil respiration when compared to the no grazing. In summary, the primary mechanisms through which increasing stocking rates affect the soil organic carbon pool are decreased inputs from plants and increased output through wind erosion. Therefore, decreasing grazing intensity is key to improving soil organic carbon retention in the desert steppe.

【Keywords】Grazing; Soil organic carbon; Aboveground biomass; Soil respiration; Desert steppe