Steppe grasslands store deep soil carbon in extensive grass root webs
Eurasian and North American steppes push dense root systems meters into mineral soil, leaving behind organic matter that builds dark, carbon-rich chernozem-like horizons.
Unlike forests that lock much carbon in wood, grasslands bury a large share belowground where fire and grazing remove less of it. Plowing can release that store rapidly.
A steppe looks simple from the road. Underfoot it is a slow carbon vault built one root death and one season of litter at a time.
Comments
0 comments