Carbon balance of a tropical successional grassland

Abstract

The annual carbon balance was examined for three different stands of vegetation in a tropical, successional grassland which originated from abandoned cultivation, on the basis of estimated net primary production, decomposition of litter and roots, and soil respiration. During the annual cycle of biological turnover in the system, the output of CO₂ through soil respiration was found to be markedly lower than the input of organic matter. Also, total CO₂ output fell short of the total decomposition of litter and roots. On an average, 35% carbon of the decomposed plant material is conserved as new soil organic matter over the annual cycle. The legume dominated stand conserved relatively more carbon in soil organic matter than the other two stands.