Connecting Soil Organic Carbon and Root Biomass with Land-Use and Vegetation in Temperate Grassland

摘要: Soils contain much of Earth’s terrestrial organic carbon but are sensitive to land-use. Rangelands important dynamics and among ecosystems most widely impacted by While common practices like grazing, fire, tillage affect soil properties directly related dynamics, their magnitude direction change vary with intensity disturbance. We describe variability in (SOC) root biomass—sampled from 0–170 cm 0–100 cm, respectively—in terms properties, land-use history, current management, plant community composition using linear regression multivariate ordination. Despite consistency average values SOC biomass between our data rangelands worldwide, broad ranges suggest these variables affected other site-specific factors. Pastures a recent history severe grazing had reduced greater bulk density. Ordination suggests exotic species richness is associated lower the relationship was not apparent when an invasive management concern specifically tested. discuss how unexplained belowground can complicate measurement prediction ecosystem processes such as sequestration.