Soil organic carbon stocks in verges and urban areas of Flanders, Belgium

Abstract

Soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks in different terrestrial ecosystems have already been calculated. However, SOC stocks of grassy verges and grass-covered urban areas have never been reported. In this study the total grass-covered area of verges and urban areas in different agro-pedological regions of Flanders, Belgium was calculated and SOC stocks estimated. The total grassy area of verges along roads, waterways and railways was calculated to be 18 027 ha, 9530 ha for gardens and parks and 2360 ha for recreations areas. Total SOC stock for grass-covered verges, extrapolated to a depth of 1 m, was estimated to be 3520 kt SOC. Total SOC stock for grassy vegetation in urban areas was 1738 kt SOC. These total SOC stocks equate, respectively, to 0AE10 and 0AE05 of the total SOC stock in Flemish grassland.

Valuing Ecosystem Services and Disservices across Heterogeneous Green Spaces

“…Our results add to research illustrating the importance of natural capital from urban soils [8]. Small-scale urban green spaces can provide substantial carbon reserves: Mestdagh et al [79] found that SOC of "grassy roadsides, waterways and railways" in urban areas totaled 10%-15% of the toal SOC stocks in Flemish grasslands, though they do not report what percent of the urban area was covered by these small-scale urban green spaces (nor their relation to total urban SOC). Our results for SOC (38.4 ± 11.5 SD·kg·C·m −2 extrapolated to a 1-m depth) are comparable to other results for Chicago urban soils.…”

The bioenergy potential of conservation areas and roadsides for biogas in an urbanized region

“…In our results, the large variance in measured roadside width is reflected in the large standard deviation of the total roadside area. However, this large variance is confirmed by the large spread of the results of other studies [44][45][46]. Moreover, our results of productive area and biomass productivity are similar to the average of the values found by other authors for roadsides (125,000 ton FM [44] and 279,000 ton FM [46]).…”

“…Different studies already tried to quantify the biomass production in roadsides and conservation areas in Flanders [44,45], but they had to rely on assumptions, rough estimations or semi-anecdotal data on biomass production and surface area. In our results, the large variance in measured roadside width is reflected in the large standard deviation of the total roadside area.…”

Differences in soil carbon storage due to mowing, burning and uncontrolled management practices of a grassland at the foot of Mount Sanbe, Japan

“…Burning often leads to a large increase in carbon storage with increasing fine particulate soil organic carbon in grasslands (Bird et al 2000;Dai et al 2006). Some researchers reported frequent mowing management of turf grasslands enhances carbon storage in the soil (Qian and Follet 2002;Mestdagh et al 2005). Such grassland management practices may help to prevent succession from grassland to wasteland, as well as to enhance the amount of soil carbon and thus affect the regional carbon cycle.…”

“…2006). Some researchers reported frequent mowing management of turf grasslands enhances carbon storage in the soil (Qian and Follet 2002; Mestdagh et al. 2005).…”