Assessment of Soil Carbon Stock Potential in Different Soil Layers of Grassland Ecosystems

Abstract

Mostly soil carbon stock research is done in areas with natural vegetation, ignoring university campuses. This study assesses soil carbon stocks in different soil layers of grassland ecosystems within the Bharathiar University campus in Tamil Nadu, India. Soil samples were collected from grasslands in four sections (namely, East section, West section, North section, and South section) of the campus and analyzed for carbon content across depths of 0-10cm, 10-20cm, and 20-30cm. Results indicate soil carbon stocks in grassland ecosystems ranging from 1.36% to 2.26%, with notable variations observed among campus sections and soil layers. One-way ANOVA revealed that there is a significant variation in soil carbon stock values among the four sections in the 20-30cm layer (F(3,16)=3.865, p<0.05), but not for the 0-10cm layer (F(3,16)=1.454, p>0.05) and the 10-20cm layer (F(3,16)=3.011, p>0.05). Pearson’s Correlation analysis revealed that the soil carbon stock had no significant relationships with soil pH, Conductivity, and total dissolved solids at all four sections of the university campus, except for a positive correlation between soil carbon stock and total dissolved solids at the East section (r=0.563, p<0.05), and between soil carbon stock and soil pH at the South section (r=0.550, p<0.05). These findings underscore the complexity of soil carbon dynamics in grassland ecosystems of university campuses and emphasize the potential for localized assessments to inform sustainable land management strategies. This study contributes valuable insights into enhancing carbon sequestration efforts at the university campus, useful for global climate change mitigation. Integrating such localized findings into broader environmental policies can optimize carbon management strategies across similar ecosystems globally.