The Effects of Rangeland Management Practice on Carbon Storage.

Carbon cycle depends on the relationship between soil and plant in a rangeland ecosystem and management practices play an important role in carbon sequestration, but direct evidence is generally lacked. This study was carried out to assess the rangeland potentials for carbon storage and its sequestration in southern slopes of central Alborz rangeland, Iran. Exclosure and grazing effects on the rangeland carbon pools in soil and pasture plants were surveyed as two rangeland management practice. The data analysis was revealed that the carbon content on litter in exclosure significantly increased, by 48.5%. The carbon sequestration by aboveground biomass in exclosure was greater than that in grazing plot, on average by 17.5%. The rangeland management practice increased the root - soil carbon content ratio in the exclosure area and the main Carbon sequestration was recorded by the soil profile. This study also showed that the exclosure practice increased the biomass carbon content but there was a significant decrease in the soil carbon storage. From these results it can be concluded that the suitable rangeland management practice must be to graze up to the rangeland carrying capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]