Conversion of annual cropped land to grasses: Effect on soil carbon
Mensah, F.K. 2001. M.Sc. Thesis. Dept. Soil Science, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK
Abstract
Concern over the impact of greenhouse gases (GHG) on global climatic change, resulted
in a landmark agreement in Kyoto, Japan in December 1997, where the developed
countries of the world agreed to cap their greenhouse gas emissions to predetermined
levels by 2010. The three most important GHGs are CO2 , CH4 and N2O.
CO2 is produced when carbon-containing compounds are oxidized. Most of the C stored
in agroecosystems occurs in soils. Agricultural practices change the amount of carbon
stored in soils when the balance of inputs and outputs are altered. Therefore, soils are
one of the ecosystem components that can play a key role in the global C budget due to
its role as a net sink or source of CO2.
