Carbon storage in floodplain meadow soils under restoration
In grasslands, the root systems of grassland plants can grow to several metres deep, occupying large volumes of the soil. This ensures a more even distribution of carbon in the soil, than woodlands, for example.
Our partners at the Floodplain Meadows Partnership (FMP) at the Open University have looked at soil carbon amounts in different land uses within floodplains, using data from the Countryside Survey of England and Wales. Carbon density (measured as t ha-1) is lower in arable and improved grassland soils.
FMP's unpublished data suggest that the amount of carbon stored even in the top 10 cm layer of alluvial floodplain meadow soil, is very high, much higher than other previous estimates of any other floodplain land uses.
Our partners at the Floodplain Meadows Partnership (FMP) at the Open University have looked at soil carbon amounts in different land uses within floodplains, using data from the Countryside Survey of England and Wales. Carbon density (measured as t ha-1) is lower in arable and improved grassland soils.
FMP's unpublished data suggest that the amount of carbon stored even in the top 10 cm layer of alluvial floodplain meadow soil, is very high, much higher than other previous estimates of any other floodplain land uses.