Changes in carbon storage under alternative land uses in biodiverse Andean grasslands: implications for payment for ecosystem services

摘要: Ecuadorian paramo grasslands have become the focus of Payment for Ecosystem Services programs that promoted land-use changes such as afforestation and reduction burning, grazing cattle or sheep, agricultural expansion. However, limited information exists on relationships between land use in paramos production ecosystem services, including direction magnitude carbon storage. In an evaluation eight sites representing incentivized uses, we found significant differences both soil aboveground carbon. The results support previous findings effects pine plantations suggest limiting burning may be effective at enhancing They also indicate that, highly productive paramo, belowground C storage can high, even when compared to some types afforestation, providing greater attention role grassland conservation climate mitigation strategies.