The status of soil organic carbon under indigenous forests, grasslands, wetlands and pine plantations in Woodbush, Limpopo Province, South Africa

• Main Author: Mongwe, Hlamalani Godfrey
• Other Authors: Rozanov, A.
• Format: Others
• Language: en_ZA
• Published: Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch 2011
• Subjects: Soil chemistry > South Africa > Limpopo; Carbon; Plant-soil relationships > South Africa > Limpopo; Soils > Carbon content > South Africa > Limpopo; Soils > Environmental aspects > South Africa > Limpopo; Theses > Soil science; Dissertations > Soil science; Theses > Agriculture; Dissertations > Agriculture
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/16392

Thesis (MScAgric)--University of Stellenbosch, 2004. === ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Storing soil organic carbon (SOC) is a possible way of reducing atmospheric CO2 and potentially mitigating the effects of global warming. This study looks at soil carbon stocks, the sampling methodology and modelling of soil organic carbon in indigenous forests, wetlands, grasslands and pine plantations in Woodbush in the North-Eastern escarpment of Limpopo Province, South Africa. Dominant Pine species planted in Woodbush are Pinus patula, Pinus elliotti and Pinus taeda. Woodbush plantation was selected as study area because it provided easy access to all the ecosystems that were to be studied. All ecosystems in Woodbush are located in such a way that it was easy to compare them, as they existed under similar environmental and climatic conditions. The climatic conditions of Woodbush promote accumulation of SOC due to relatively higher precipitation and cooler temperatures than most parts of Limpopo Province. Five transects were made: two in indigenous forests and three in plantations. Only the surface (0-7 cm) layer was sampled with a distance of 20 m between sampling points. Transects were not made in grasslands and wetlands because of the patchy occurrence of these ecosystems. In addition to transects, eight 1ha plots, two in each ecosystem, were sampled. Surface (0- 7 cm depth) samples were collected on a grid of 20 x 20 m in each sampling plot. Two soil profile pits were sampled in each sampling plot, with samples being taken at 5, 10, 15, 20 30, 40, 50 60, 75 and 100 cm depth. The average carbon stocks per hectare of land to a soil depth of 100 cm were as follows: 71 t.ha-1 in wetlands, 28 t.ha-1 in grasslands, 64 t.ha-1in indigenous forests, and 46 t.ha-1 in pine plantations. Although wetlands sequestered large amounts of SOC per hectare, their relative contribution to carbon sequestration was low because of the relatively small area (87.2 ha) they occupy in the study area (and in South Africa). Prediction models for vertical distribution of SOC were developed using STATISTICA 6.0 for each ecosystem in order to estimate the carbon stocks to a depth of 100 cm based on SOC content and soil bulk density of the surface samples. These models were developed from observed values in soil profiles for each ecosystem. SOC content and carbon stocks were analyzed using GIS (ARCVIEW). The GIS analysis was aimed at assessing the effect of topography, elevation, soil type, and vegetation on accumulation and distribution of SOC stocks. Most shallow Inanda soils were distributed at elevations between 1545 m and 1777 m, and on a gentle slope in the Northern aspect of the mountain. Deep Inanda soils were found mostly in the lower elevation range of 967 m and 1545 m on moderate slopes. Deep and shallow Inanda soils were found on the southern aspect. Deep Kranskop soils are evenly distributed and mostly found at an elevation range of between 1080 and 1430 m on gentle slopes, while at an elevation range of between 1430 and 1780 m, they were found on moderate slopes. Deep soils had higher SOC stocks than shallow soils and soils in the southern aspects had higher SOC stocks than in the northern aspects. === AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die berging van grond organiese koolstof is ‘n moontlike manier om atmosferiese koolsuurgas (CO2) te verminder en dus om die invloed van globale verwarming te versag. In hierdie studie was die grond-koolstof voorraad bestudeer, asook die metodologie van die monsterneming en modellering van organiese grond-koolstof van inheemse woude, vleie, grasvelde en denneplantasies. Die studie was uitgevoer op Woodbush plantasie gele op die Noord-Oosterlike platorand van die Limpopo Provinsie, Suid-Afrika. Die algemeenste dennespesies in Woodbush is Pinus patula, Pinus elliotti en Pinus taeda. Die Woodbush plantasie was gekies as studiegebied omdat dit oor al die ekosisteme wat bestudeer moet word, beskik. Die ekosisteme in Woodbush is naby mekaar en dus maklik vergelykbaar want die omgewings- en klimaatstoestande is eenders. Die klimaatstoestande van Woodbush bevorder die akkumulasie van grond organiese koolstof omdat die reënval hoër en die temperature laer is as in die meeste ander dele van die Limpopo Provinsie. Vyf dwarssnitte was gemaak, twee in inheemse woude en drie in plantasies. Monsters was net uit die grondoppervlak laag geneem (7 cm) met 20 m tussen monsterpunte. Dwarssnitte was nie in grasvelde en vleie gemaak nie want hierdie sisteme is te gelokaliseerd. Monsters was ook geneem in agt 1 ha persele, twee in elke ekosisteem. Oppervlakmonsters (tot ‘n diepte van 7 cm) is op ‘n ruitnet van 20 x 20 m uit elke perseel versamel. Monsters was verder ook geneem uit twee profielgate per perseel, op dieptes 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 75 en 100 cm. Die gemiddelde koolstof voorraad per hektaar, op ‘n gronddiepte van 100 cm, was as volg: 71 t.ha –1 in vleie, 28 t.ha-1 in grasvelde, 64 t.ha-1 in inheemse woude en 46 t.ha-1 in denneplantasies. Alhoewel vleie groot hoeveelhede grond organiese koolstof akkumuleer, is hulle bydrae tot koolstof akkumulasie laag want hulle beslaan ‘n klein oppervlak binne die studiegebied (87.2 ha) asook klein oppervlaktes binne Suid-Afrika. Voorspellingsmodelle vir die vertikale verspreiding van grondkoolstof was met die gebruik van STATISTICA 6.0 ontwikkel ten einde te skat wat die koolstofvoorrraad op ‘n diepte van 100 cm was. Die skattings was gebaseer op organiese grondkoolstofinhoud en die gronddigtheid van oppervlakmonsters. Hierdie modelle was ontwikkel vanaf die waargenome waardes van grondprofiele vir elke ekosisteem. Die organiese koolstofinhoud van die grond en die koolstofvoorraad is ontleed met behulp van GIS (ARCVIEW). Die GIS ontleding was daarop gemik om die effek van topografie, hoogte bo seespiëel, grondtipe en plantegroei, op die akkumulasie en verspreiding van organiese grondkoolstof, te beraam. Die meeste vlak Inanda grondvorms kom voor tussen 1545 m en 1777 m bo seespiëel, asook op effens steil hellings op die Noordelike berghang. Die diep Inanda grondvorms is geleë op laer hoogtes bo seespiëel, gewoonlik tussen 967 en 1545 m, op effens steil hellings. Beide diep en vlak Inanda gronde word gevind op die suidelike berghang. Diep Kranskop gronde is eweredig versprei en word gewoonlik tussen 1080 en 1430 m bo seespiëel, op effens steil hellings, gevind. Dit kom ook voor op matig steil hellings, tussen 1430 en 1780 m bo seespiëel. Daar is meer organiese koolstof in diep grond as in vlak grond en meer in gronde teen die suidelike hang as op die noordelike hang.