ICRAF Publication Detail Page

  • Contact persons
  • Melinda Firds
    Program Management Unit Assistant
    World Agroforestry (ICRAF)
    Jl. CIFOR, Situ Gede, Sindang Barang,
    Bogor Barat - Indonesia 16115
    Tel: +62 2511 8625415
    Fax: +62 2511 8625416
    Email: icrafseapub@cgiar.org

Publication Details

Journal Article
JA0521-14
Article TitleEffect of Stocking Rate on Soil-Atmosphere CH4 Flux during Spring Freeze-Thaw Cycles in a Northern Desert Steppe, China
AuthorCheng-Jie Wang, Shi-Ming Tang, Andreas Wilkes, Yuan-Yuan Jiang, Guo-Dong Han and Ding Huang
Year2012
Journal TitlePlos One
InstitutionPublic Library of Science
Volume7
Issue5
Pages1-7
Call NumberJA0521-14
Abstract:
Background: Methane (CH4) uptake by steppe soils is affected by a range of specific factors and is a complex process. Increased stocking rate promotes steppe degradation, with unclear consequences for gas exchanges. To assess the effects of grazing management on CH4 uptake in desert steppes, we investigated soil-atmosphere CH4 exchange during the winterspring transition period.

Methodology/Main Finding: The experiment was conducted at twelve grazing plots denoting four treatments defined along a grazing gradient with three replications: non-grazing (0 sheep/ha, NG), light grazing (0.75 sheep/ha, LG), moderate grazing (1.50 sheep/ha, MG) and heavy grazing (2.25 sheep/ha, HG). Using an automatic cavity ring-down spectrophotometer, we measured CH4 fluxes from March 1 to April 29 in 2010 and March 2 to April 27 in 2011. According to the status of soil freeze-thaw cycles (positive and negative soil temperatures occurred in alternation), the experiment was divided into periods I and II. Results indicate that mean CH4 uptake in period I (7.51 mg CH4–C m22 h21) was significantly lower than uptake in period II (83.07 mg CH4–C m22 h21). Averaged over 2 years, CH4 fluxes during the freeze-thaw period were 284.76 mg CH4–C m22 h21 (NG), 288.76 mg CH4–C m22 h21 (LG), 264.77 mg CH4–C m22 h21 (MG) and 228.80 mg CH4–C m22 h21 (HG).

Conclusions/Significance: CH4 uptake activity is affected by freeze-thaw cycles and stocking rates. CH4 uptake is correlated with the moisture content and temperature of soil. MG and HG decreases CH4 uptake while LG exerts a considerable positive impact on CH4 uptake during spring freeze-thaw cycles in the northern desert steppe in China.
Download file(s): Click icon to download/open file.
  File Size Description
download file 388 KB Softcopy
Viewed in 1157 times. Downloaded in 341 times.