Su et al. (2026): Species richness increases vegetation carbon sequestration but decreases soil carbon storage in temperate grasslands of China
Yingjia Su, Junyu Pu, Jing Huang et al., IN: Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2026.110417
Biodiversity is fundamental to sustaining ecosystem functions and regulating carbon storage, yet the mechanisms by which species richness influences carbon density across different vegetation fractions and soil carbon components remain poorly understood. Here, using a diversity simulation platform comprising four dominant forage species (Leymus chinensis, Elymus dahuricus, Festuca rubra, and Poa pratensis) in the steppe of northern China, the authors examined changes in vegetation and soil carbon densities under varying levels of species richness during the second growing season.