70229 Potential Carbon Sequestration Under Bermudagrass Management.

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See more from this Session: Graduate Student Poster – Soils
Sunday, February 5, 2012
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Said A. Hamido, Agronomy and Soils, Auburn University, Auburn University, AL, Wes Wood, Auburn University, Auburn University, AL and Elizabeth A. Guertal, Agronomy and Soils, Auburn University, Auburn, AL
Understanding the role of plant ecosystems and underlying soil as a sink or source for carbon (C) on a global scale is necessary for estimating changes in atmospheric CO2 concentration.  Despite its large-scale presence in the urban ecosystem, the role of turfgrass in C cycling has received only limited study, and evaluations in warm-season turfgrasses is lacking.  The objective of this study was to estimate C sequestration in soil as affected by sampling depth and bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon x C. transvaalensis) nitrogen (N) rate. The experiment was conducted on six-year-old ‘Tifway’ hybrid bermudagrass plots located at the Auburn University Turfgrass Research Unit. The experimental design was a randomized complete block with three replications and four N rates of 24, 49, 98, and 196 kg N ha-1 yr-1. Plots were sampled in summer, with the harvested bermudagrass separated into rhizomes, above ground biomass (verdure), and belowground roots.  Underlying soil samples (0-2.5, 2.5-5, 5-10, 10-20, 20-40, and 40-60 cm) were also collected. Total C and N concentrations were determined on finely ground oven-dried samples by combustion. Results showed an accumulation of organic C in the top 10 cm of the soil profile as N rate increased from 24 to 196 kg N ha-1.