Modeling the regional grazing impact on vegetation carbon sequestration ability in Temperate Eurasian Steppe

Abstract: Anthropogenic activities profoundly influence carbon sequestration in the Eurasian Steppe. In particular, grazing has been identified as having a major effect on carbon sequestration. However, the extent to which grazing affects regional patterns or carbon sequestration is unknown. In this...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Yi-zhao CHEN, Zheng-guo SUN, Zhi-hao QIN, Pavel Propastin, Wei WANG, Jian-long LI, Hong-hua RUAN
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: KeAi Communications Co., Ltd. 2017-10-01
Series:Journal of Integrative Agriculture
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2095311916616143
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849251344696737792
author Yi-zhao CHEN
Zheng-guo SUN
Zhi-hao QIN
Pavel Propastin
Wei WANG
Jian-long LI
Hong-hua RUAN
author_facet Yi-zhao CHEN
Zheng-guo SUN
Zhi-hao QIN
Pavel Propastin
Wei WANG
Jian-long LI
Hong-hua RUAN
author_sort Yi-zhao CHEN
collection DOAJ
description Abstract: Anthropogenic activities profoundly influence carbon sequestration in the Eurasian Steppe. In particular, grazing has been identified as having a major effect on carbon sequestration. However, the extent to which grazing affects regional patterns or carbon sequestration is unknown. In this study, we evaluated the impact of regional grazing on grassland carbon sequestration using the Boreal Ecosystem Productivity Simulator (BEPS) and the Shiyomi grazing model. Model performances were validated against the results from field measurements and eddy covariance (EC) sites. Model outputs showed that in 2008, the regional net primary productivity (NPP) was 79.5 g C m−2, and the net ecosystem productivity (NEP) was −6.5 g C m−2, characterizing the region as a weak carbon source. The Mongol Steppe (MS) was identified as a carbon sink, whereas the Kazakh Steppe (KS) was either carbon neutral or a weak carbon source. The spatial patterns of grazing density are divergent between the MS and the KS. In the MS, livestock was mainly distributed in China with relatively good management, while in the KS livestock was mainly concentrated in the southern countries (especially Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan) with harsh environments and poor management. The consumption percentages of NPP in Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan were 5.3, 3.3 and 1.2%, respectively, whereas the percentages in other countries were lower than 1%. Correspondingly, grazing consumption contributed to the carbon sources of Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan by 11.6, 6.3 and 4.3%, respectively, while it weakened the carbon sink in Inner Mongolia, China and Mongolia by 1.6 and 0.5%. This regional pattern should be affected by different sub-regional characteristics, e.g., the continuous degradation of grassland in the southern part of the KS and the restoration of grassland in Inner Mongolia, China.
format Article
id doaj-art-7ce89b4653fb47c8a14b4b9a8c7510b9
institution Kabale University
issn 2095-3119
language English
publishDate 2017-10-01
publisher KeAi Communications Co., Ltd.
record_format Article
series Journal of Integrative Agriculture
spelling doaj-art-7ce89b4653fb47c8a14b4b9a8c7510b92025-08-20T03:56:59ZengKeAi Communications Co., Ltd.Journal of Integrative Agriculture2095-31192017-10-0116102323233610.1016/S2095-3119(16)61614-3Modeling the regional grazing impact on vegetation carbon sequestration ability in Temperate Eurasian SteppeYi-zhao CHEN0Zheng-guo SUN1Zhi-hao QIN2Pavel Propastin3Wei WANG4Jian-long LI5Hong-hua RUAN6Joint Innovation Center for Modern Forestry Studies, College of Biology and the Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, P.R.China; School of Life Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, P.R.ChinaCollege of Prataculture Science, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, P.R.China; Correspondence SUN Zheng-guo, Tel/Fax: +86-25-84395284Institute of Agro-resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, P.R.ChinaInstitute of Geography, Georg-August University Göttingen, Göttingen 37077, Germany; Department of Bioclimatology, Büsgen-Institute, Georg-August University Göttingen, Göttingen 37077, GermanyCollege of Forestry, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, P.R.ChinaSchool of Life Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, P.R.ChinaJoint Innovation Center for Modern Forestry Studies, College of Biology and the Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, P.R.ChinaAbstract: Anthropogenic activities profoundly influence carbon sequestration in the Eurasian Steppe. In particular, grazing has been identified as having a major effect on carbon sequestration. However, the extent to which grazing affects regional patterns or carbon sequestration is unknown. In this study, we evaluated the impact of regional grazing on grassland carbon sequestration using the Boreal Ecosystem Productivity Simulator (BEPS) and the Shiyomi grazing model. Model performances were validated against the results from field measurements and eddy covariance (EC) sites. Model outputs showed that in 2008, the regional net primary productivity (NPP) was 79.5 g C m−2, and the net ecosystem productivity (NEP) was −6.5 g C m−2, characterizing the region as a weak carbon source. The Mongol Steppe (MS) was identified as a carbon sink, whereas the Kazakh Steppe (KS) was either carbon neutral or a weak carbon source. The spatial patterns of grazing density are divergent between the MS and the KS. In the MS, livestock was mainly distributed in China with relatively good management, while in the KS livestock was mainly concentrated in the southern countries (especially Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan) with harsh environments and poor management. The consumption percentages of NPP in Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan were 5.3, 3.3 and 1.2%, respectively, whereas the percentages in other countries were lower than 1%. Correspondingly, grazing consumption contributed to the carbon sources of Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan by 11.6, 6.3 and 4.3%, respectively, while it weakened the carbon sink in Inner Mongolia, China and Mongolia by 1.6 and 0.5%. This regional pattern should be affected by different sub-regional characteristics, e.g., the continuous degradation of grassland in the southern part of the KS and the restoration of grassland in Inner Mongolia, China.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2095311916616143Temperate Eurasian Steppeterrestrial modelingcarbon sequestration abilitygrazing activityregional evaluation
spellingShingle Yi-zhao CHEN
Zheng-guo SUN
Zhi-hao QIN
Pavel Propastin
Wei WANG
Jian-long LI
Hong-hua RUAN
Modeling the regional grazing impact on vegetation carbon sequestration ability in Temperate Eurasian Steppe
Journal of Integrative Agriculture
Temperate Eurasian Steppe
terrestrial modeling
carbon sequestration ability
grazing activity
regional evaluation
title Modeling the regional grazing impact on vegetation carbon sequestration ability in Temperate Eurasian Steppe
title_full Modeling the regional grazing impact on vegetation carbon sequestration ability in Temperate Eurasian Steppe
title_fullStr Modeling the regional grazing impact on vegetation carbon sequestration ability in Temperate Eurasian Steppe
title_full_unstemmed Modeling the regional grazing impact on vegetation carbon sequestration ability in Temperate Eurasian Steppe
title_short Modeling the regional grazing impact on vegetation carbon sequestration ability in Temperate Eurasian Steppe
title_sort modeling the regional grazing impact on vegetation carbon sequestration ability in temperate eurasian steppe
topic Temperate Eurasian Steppe
terrestrial modeling
carbon sequestration ability
grazing activity
regional evaluation
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2095311916616143
work_keys_str_mv AT yizhaochen modelingtheregionalgrazingimpactonvegetationcarbonsequestrationabilityintemperateeurasiansteppe
AT zhengguosun modelingtheregionalgrazingimpactonvegetationcarbonsequestrationabilityintemperateeurasiansteppe
AT zhihaoqin modelingtheregionalgrazingimpactonvegetationcarbonsequestrationabilityintemperateeurasiansteppe
AT pavelpropastin modelingtheregionalgrazingimpactonvegetationcarbonsequestrationabilityintemperateeurasiansteppe
AT weiwang modelingtheregionalgrazingimpactonvegetationcarbonsequestrationabilityintemperateeurasiansteppe
AT jianlongli modelingtheregionalgrazingimpactonvegetationcarbonsequestrationabilityintemperateeurasiansteppe
AT honghuaruan modelingtheregionalgrazingimpactonvegetationcarbonsequestrationabilityintemperateeurasiansteppe