Bremer et al. measured soil surface carbon dioxide flux in an annually-burned Kansas tallgrass prairie to document the effects of clipping at continuous and intensive early-stocking levels, and moderate grazing by bison and cattle. Annual carbon dioxide flux in unclipped prairie was estimated at 4.94 kg CO2 m-2, which is comparable to levels found in lowland tropical forests. Clipping under either treatment reduced flux by 17 to 18%, and grazing by cattle and bison reduced flux even more, by 23% and 27%, respectively. The authors state that the impact of grazing is of critical importance in estimations of grasslands as carbon sinks; canopy photosynthesis, water transpiration, and soil temperature (all factors influenced by grazing) affect carbon dioxide flux.
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