Large grass-munching herbivores can stabilise soil carbon
by TV Padma Large grazing herbivores contribute to stabilisation of soil carbon. They could emerge as a nature-based solution for climate mitigation and/or adaptation. Grasslands in general serve as a carbon sink. Large grass-eating mammals such as yak and ibex play a crucial role in stabilising the pool of soil carbon in grazing ecosystems that are a big part of the Earth’s land surface, new research shows. Scientists from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore, say protecting the herbivores that stabilise soil carbon should remain a key priority for mitigating climate change, as grazing ecosystems make up about 40% of the Earth’s land surface. Their study is published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences . The scientists conclude that “herbivores exert strong influence on both the stability and the size of the soil carbon pool, and their persistence is essential for decarbonisation services derived from grazing ecosystems.” The researchers cautio