Effects of grassland degradation and precipitation on carbon storage distributions in a semi-arid temperate grassland of Inner Mongolia, China

- Carbon storages in soil and plants were studied in degraded grassland.
- Carbon storage was significantly impacted by degradation and precipitation.
- The impact was more remarkable on vegetation C than on soil C.

Environmental degradation influences carbon (C) cycling and storage in grassland ecosystems by altering vegetation productivity. However, the impacts of different degradation intensities on vegetation-soil C distributions in grasslands have not been well documented. We measured C storage in soil, roots, and plants under light, moderate, and severe degradation levels in a typical steppe region of Xilinhot, Inner Mongolia, China in 2011 and 2012. Grassland C storage was highest in soil, followed by roots, and then aboveground plant biomass. Grassland degradation and precipitation significantly influenced C storage distributions. During the dry year (2011), total C storage in vegetation and soil was highest under light degradation. Carbon storage in aboveground plant biomass and roots increased with degradation intensity. During the wet year (2012), C storage was highest in aboveground plant biomass and roots under light degradation. Root biomass tended to be concentrated in the soil surface during the wet year.