The effects of climatic and CO[sub 2] changes on grassland storage of soil carbon

Conference · Tue Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1993 · Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America; (United States)

OSTI ID:6201462

Ojima, D S; Parton, W J ^[1]; Schimel, D S ^[2]; Scurlock, J M.O. ^[3]

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1. Colorado State Univ., Fort Collins (United States)
2. National Centerfor Atmospheric Research, Boulder, CO (United States)
3. Kings College London (United Kingdom)

We present results from analysis of the sensitivity of global grassland ecosystems to modified climate. We assess over 30 grassland sites from around the world under two different GCM double CO[sub 2] climates. The results indicate that soil C losses occur in Ar grassland regions (losses range from 1.6 to 8.8% of current soil C levels for the surface 20 cm). The Eurasian grasslands lost the greatest amount of soil C ([approximately]700 g C/m[sub 2]) and the other temperate grasslands lost approximately half this amount. The tropical grasslands and savannas lost the least amount of soil C per unit area (ranging from no change to 130 g C/m[sub 2] losses). Plant production varies according to modifications in rainfall amounts under the altered climate and to altered nitrogen mineralization rates. The two GCM's differed in predictions of rainfall with a doubling of CO[sub 2], and this difference is reflected in plant production. Soil decomposition rates responded most predictably to changes in temperature. CO[sub 2] fertilization effects on soil C loss and plant production tended to reduce the net impact of climate alterations.

• OSTI ID: 6201462
• Report Number(s): CONF-930798--
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America; (United States) Journal Volume: 74:2
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540220 -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
560400* -- Other Environmental Pollutant Effects
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
CARBON
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON DIOXIDE
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMISTRY
CLIMATIC CHANGE
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ECOSYSTEMS
ELEMENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
GENERAL CIRCULATION MODELS
GROWTH
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
NONMETALS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PLANT GROWTH
PLANTS
RAIN
RANGELANDS
SOIL CHEMISTRY
SOILS
TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEMS