Carbon Sequestration Potential of Turfgrass Ecosystems.

Land use changes to urban and suburban development are one of the global trends at unprecedented rates.  Turfgrass is a major vegetation type in the urban and suburban environment.  During the past several years, we have used historic soil testing data, the CENTURY simulation model, and carbon isotopic measurements to determine soil organic carbon (SOC) changes in turf/soil ecosystems.   Our results indicated that a rapid soil organic carbon accumulation occurred during the first 0-25 years after turfgrass establishment, at average rates approaching 0.3 and 1.0-ton C ha^-1 yr^-1.  It was also found that past land use imparted a strong control of SOM baseline; fairways converted from agricultural lands exhibited 24% lower SOM than fairways converted from native grasslands.  The Century model predicted that returning clippings increases soil C and N sequestrations.   Irrigation increased both net organic carbon input to the soil profile and SOC decomposition.  Finally, carbon budget for the operation of a golf course will be discussed.