Study on Carbon Stock and Sequestration Potential of Typical Grasslands in Northern China: A Case Study of Wuchuan County

Fan Gao, Zhen Tian, Yanzhe Wang, Zhiheng Yang and Guodong Ding ()
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Fan Gao: School of Soil and Water Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100091, China
Zhen Tian: School of Soil and Water Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100091, China
Yanzhe Wang: Inner Mongolia Urban Renewal Research and Development Co., Ltd., Hohhot 010000, China
Zhiheng Yang: Beijing Green Source Environment Planning & Design Institute Co., Ltd., Beijing 100081, China
Guodong Ding: School of Soil and Water Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100091, China

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 10, 1-11

Abstract: Grasslands in China cover an extensive area and rank second globally. They constitute the second-largest carbon reservoir in China after forests, holding about 8% of the total carbon stock of the world’s grassland ecosystems. This study focuses on the grasslands of Wuchuan County, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of Northern China. This study compares the carbon stock and density characteristics across different communities based on plot survey and GIS vector data. It also anticipates the region’s carbon sequestration potential using biomass-to-carbon conversion and extrapolation methods. The findings indicate that (1) the total carbon stock in the study area is 1805.65 × 10 4 tons with an average carbon density of 77.50 t/ha. The distribution of carbon density and stock follows a pattern: soil layer > herbaceous layer > litter layer; (2) the Stipa krylovii + Leymus chinensis community exhibits the highest carbon stock and density; (3) there is a positive correlation between herbaceous carbon density and NPP (Net Primary Productivity) values in the study area; and (4) the overall carbon stock in the region is projected to increase, with growth rates accelerating annually. These results contribute to our understanding of the formation, turnover, stability maintenance, and regulation mechanisms of grassland soil organic carbon. Furthermore, they hold significant implications for enhancing the carbon sequestration capacity of ecosystems.

Keywords: grassland; carbon stock; carbon density; carbon sequestration potential (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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