부산대학교 도서관

Background: Grazing lands provide numerous ecosystem services, including the capacity to store large amounts of soil carbon (C); however, our understanding of the factors affecting soil C responses to management is inadequate. Methods: In this paper, we synthesized information about the impacts of grazing land management on soil C within the southeastern region of the United States. Results: Most studies (68%) demonstrated that proper management increased soil C stocks with an average C accumulation rate of 1.4 Mg C ha−1 year−1. The remaining (32%) studies showed no effect of management on soil C. None of the studies reported negative impacts of management on soil C. The largest increase in soil C (8 Mg C ha−1 year−1) was associated with the conversion of cropland to pastureland while overseeding legumes into grass pastures resulted in the lowest C sequestration rates (0.2 Mg C ha−1 year−1). Conclusions: Considering the rates of soil C accretion and the extensive area occupied by grazing lands, data in this synthesis confirm that the adoption of improved management practices can increase soil C sequestration in the southeastern United States. In addition, because most improved management practices can also have co‐benefits, they may be favorable for forage and livestock production and other ecosystem services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]