Skip to main content

Grasslands as a carbon sink

JuuriHiili

Our main hypothesis is that Finnish grasslands are a carbon sink during ley years but turn into a carbon source after the renovation, especially if the field is then cultivated with annual species. The

scientific evidence shows that roots, their carbon input to soil and the composition of C containing compounds in roots play a major role in accumulation of soil organic carbon stocks.

Our aim is to quantify the potential magnitude of the carbon sequestration capacity of Finnish grasslands that are used for silage grass production. We will focus on studying dynamics of root

systems, and on how they affect soil carbon stocks. The assessment will include effects of different

management options, such as rotation length of grassland, manure use and effect of species on carbon

cycle.