CARBON STORAGE AFTER LONG-TERM GRASS ESTABLISHMENT ON DEGRADED SOILS
Abstract
Recent concern about global warming has led to attempts to estimate the effects of management on carbon sequestration in soil. The objective of this study is to determine the amount of soil organic carbon (SOC) degraded by agricultural practices and the rate of carbon sequestration in soils after restoration of grass for various periods of time. The SOC contents of previously cultivated clay soils (Udic Haplusterts) in central Texas returned to grass 6, 26, and 60 years ago are compared with those of soils in continuous agriculture for more than 100 years and those of prairie soils that have never been tilled. Surface (0 to 5 cm) SOC concentration ranged from 4.44 to 5.95% in the prairie to 1.53 to 1.88% in the agricultural sites. Carbon concentration in restored grasslands was generally intermediate to that reported for the native prairie and agricultural sites. The SOC mass in the surface 120 cm of the agricultural soils was 25 to 43% less than that of native prairie sites. After the establishment of grasses, SOC mass in the grass sites was greater than at the agricultural sites. A linear relationship between the length of time in grass and the amount of SOC sequestered in the surface 60 cm fit well for time periods from 6 to 60 years. The slope of this function provided an estimate of the carbon sequestration rate, in this case 447 kg C ha−1 yr−1. At this rate, it would require nearly an additional century (98 years) for the 60-year grass site to reach a carbon pool equiva…
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Cultivation of temperate-zone perennial grasses, Miscanthus, switchgrass, or native mixes, increased SOC by an average of about 0.1-1 Mg/ha/yr in the top 30 cm.
“Cultivation of temperate-zone perennial grasses -Miscanthus, switchgrass, or native mixes -increased SOC by an average of $ 0.1-1 Mg ha À1 yr À1 in the top 30 cm (Figs 234; see also e.g., Potter et al., 1999;Ma et al., 2000;Kahle et al., 2001;Lemus & Lal, 2005;Liebig et al., 2008).”
From Changes in soil organic carbon under biofuel crops (2009) · cites this paper as Potter et al., 1999
SOC accumulates upon conversion of cultivated land to secondary forest, grassland, or pasture.
“Conversely, SOC accumulates upon conversion of cultivated land to secondary forest, grassland, or pasture (Potter et al., 1999;Knops & Tilman, 2000;Guo & Gifford, 2002;West et al., 2004;Grandy & Robertson, 2007).”
From Changes in soil organic carbon under biofuel crops (2009) · cites this paper as Potter et al., 1999
SOC sequestration by the temperate perennial grasses (Miscanthus, switchgrass, and North American native mixtures) would augment the benefits of fossil fuel displacement.
“SOC sequestration by the temperate perennial grasses (i.e., Miscanthus, switchgrass, and North American native mixtures), as observed here and else-where (e.g., Potter et al., 1999;Ma et al., 2000;Kahle et al., 2001;Lemus & Lal, 2005;Liebig et al., 2005Liebig et al., , 2008)), would augment the benefits of fossil fuel displacement.”
From Changes in soil organic carbon under biofuel crops (2009) · cites this paper as Potter et al., 1999
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- Authors
- Potter, K. N., Torbert, H. A., Johnson, H. B., & Tischler, C. R.
- ORCID
- Torbert, H. A.
- Venue
- Soil Science
- Published
- 1999-10
- Volume
- 164
- Issue
- 10
- Pages
- 718-725
- ISSN
- 0038-075X (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2092246666
- Cited by
- 155
- References
- 1
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 7 · 2015: 5 · 2014: 7 · 2013: 5 · 2012: 9
- FWCI
- 8.37
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Soil Science (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Soil Science › Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Soil Science › Soil erosion and sediment transport
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Soil Science › Soil Management and Crop Yield
- Keywords
- soil organic carbon, carbon sequestration, grassland restoration, degraded soils, agricultural soils, native prairie, clay soil, carbon sequestration rate
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