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The production of phytoliths in C hina's grasslands: implications to the biogeochemical sequestration of atmospheric CO 2
Author(s) -
Song Zhaoliang,
Liu Hongyan,
Si Yong,
Yin Yi
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
global change biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.146
H-Index - 255
eISSN - 1365-2486
pISSN - 1354-1013
DOI - 10.1111/gcb.12017
Subject(s) - biogeochemical cycle , phytolith , carbon sequestration , primary production , environmental science , carbon sink , grassland , carbon fibers , carbon cycle , productivity , environmental chemistry , chemistry , agronomy , carbon dioxide , ecosystem , ecology , biology , materials science , pollen , macroeconomics , composite number , economics , composite material
Among the most promising approaches of long‐term atmospheric CO 2 sequestration is terrestrial biogeochemical carbon sequestration. One of the most promising terrestrial biogeochemical carbon sequestration mechanisms is the occlusion of carbon within phytoliths, the silicified features that deposit within plant tissues. Using phytolith content‐biogenic silica content transfer function obtained from our investigation, in combination with published silica content and above‐ground net primary productivity ( ANPP ) data of China's grasslands, we estimated the production of phytoliths and phytolith‐occluded carbon ( PhytOC ) in grasslands. The results show that the average above‐ground phytolith production rates of China's grasslands (10.9 10 6 t yr −1 or 1.45% of world grasslands) are much lower than those of other grasslands (e.g. North American nonwoody grasslands) mainly because of much lower ANPP . Assuming a median content of PhytOC of 1.5%, the average above‐ground PhytOC production rates of China's grasslands and world grasslands are estimated to be 0.6 10 6 t CO 2 yr −1 and 41.4 10 6 t CO 2 yr −1 , respectively. The management of grasslands to maximize ANPP has the potential to result in considerable quantities of phytoliths and securely bio‐sequestered carbon.