The impact of land cover change on carbon and water cycling in the US Central Plains grasslands

Abstract

Using the eddy covariance technique, the impact of land cover variability on carbon and water cycling was examined at three different grasslands in Northeast Kansas. One site 8 km north of Lawrence, Kansas at the Nelson Environmental Study Area (NESA) experiences woody-encroachment and is burned every three years. The remaining two sites are located at the Konza Prairie Biological Station, 8 km south of Manhattan, Kansas. KZU is located in an annual burned, non-grazed watershed in an upland area. K4B experiences woody encroachment and has prescribed burns every four years. Water-use efficiency was used to examine how the carbon and water cycling of these ecosystems respond to land cover change. Analysis suggest that the two grasslands experiencing woody-encroachment (NESA and K4B) show more efficient water use values than the grassland that is not (KZU). This may be due to a possible difference in rooting depth between woody-vegetation and grasses.