[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
Re: 3 questions (fwd)
From: Jody Butterfield <jodybs@igc.apc.org>
To: Recipients of CHRM-GENERAL <chrm-general@igc.apc.org>
Kate,
I thought I'd better respond to your third question:
-----you wrote-------
3) Finally, some months back someone mentioned research or a
>project the Center was involved in that had to do with carbon banking (
I think that is what it was called). What is this, what is the Center
>involvement and what is the potential or "big picture" for carbon
banking?
We have been developing a research project involving "carbon sequestration"
over the last year, but are still seeking the funding for it. What we are
attempting to do is to determine how much carbon we can sequester in
grassland soils that are "maintained" by grazing/herding animals, compared
to those that are maintained by grazing/herding animals and fire.
Fire obviously puts much of the carbon into the atmosphere. Some scientists
argue that this is not a "net release" of carbon because after grasslands
are burned, plants regrow and once again soak up carbon--the same amount
as they released when burned.
We suspect this isn't the case, because over time the repeated use of fire
tends to lead to a loss of biodiversity, a reduction in litter and an
increase in bare soil (in brittle environments). This affects the amount
of biomass produced, and thus the amount of carbon that can be sequestered.
Hope this answers your question.
--Jody
=20