The Significance of Ecological Diversity, Controlled Burns, and Varied Ecosystems on Carbon Sequestration on Ranchland In West Texas.

With recent increases in greenhouse gases attributed with potentially augmented the greenhouse effect, it is important to find ways to reduce these gases.  Carbon sequestration is the process of plants removing carbon dioxide from the air and storing it in the soil, thus the total amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.  Ranchers that manage their land to increase the sequestering of carbon can potentially get credit for this and then sell those carbon credits.  Carbon sequestration then is important for the improved livelihood of ranchers and the environment.  To explore carbon sequestration potential, we tested soil carbon on different ecosystems at the Z Bar Z Ranch near Abilene, TX (32°20’N, 99°57’W).  We were interested in discovering if there was a difference in soil carbon before and after a burn, as well as in different ecosystems within the same general geographic area.  We were also interested in the ecological diversity of the area and curious as to whether this diversity related to the amount of carbon in the soil.  To do this, we measured ecological diversity, carbon sequestration, and plant dry mass.   In terms of ecological diversity, richness (P=0.0002) and evenness (P=0.0012) were significantly different among the various sites.  There was a significant difference in soil carbon percentage (P=0.0077) and in the total C/ha (P=0.7317).  It was shown that there is likely no correlation between ecological diversity and carbon sequestration.  This research will serve as baseline data for future carbon sequestration research.