Effect of biomass cutting on soil CO2 efflux in a sandy grassland

Carbon storage in grassland ecosystems is realized mostly belowground. The changes in the management activities of grasslands also influence the below-ground carbon stocks. Soil carbon-dioxide efflux (Rs) takes a major part of the ecosystem’s carbon cycle. R_s includes the respiration of different components. Rs gives 60-80% of ecosystem respiration or 40-60% of gross primary production. It is known from the literature that respiration is affected by abiotic (temperature (Ts), soil water content (SWC)) and the biotic factors.

In our study we investigated the biotic one, namely the belowground carbon allocation on soil respiration. The study was performed in a semi-arid sandy grassland at Bugac (Kiskunság National Park, Hungary). The vegetation of the pasture was dominated by Festuca pseudovina, Carex stenophylla and Cynodon dactylon and the soil is a chernozem type soil with high organic carbon content.

The soil CO₂ effluxes were measured continuously by an automated soil respiration system consisted of 10 soil respiration chambers. The chambers measured 3 different experimental plots. Data was collected in every half-hour from each chamber for 6 days before the cutting event. After the cutting data was recorded from 1) non-cut, 2) half cut and 3) completely removed treatments also for 6 days. The study was repeated under laboratory conditions (constant temperature, illumination, humidity) on grass patches planted in pots. We observed that the respiration in half cut and completely removed treatments increased after they were cut off. The proportion of respiration after cutting in the completely removed treatment reduced to 85% compared to the control one. Our results highlight that the soil respiration is largely affected by belowground carbon allocation.