Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

A Synthesis Of The Effects Of Cheatgrass Invasion On The Us Great Basin Carbon Storage, R. Chelsea Nagy, Emily J. Fusco, Jennifer K. Balch, John T. Finn, Adam Mahood, Jenica M. Allen, Bethany A. Bradley

Environmental Conservation Faculty Publication Series

1. Non‐native, invasive Bromus tectorum (cheatgrass) is pervasive in sagebrush ecosystems in the Great Basin ecoregion of the western United States, competing with native plants and promoting more frequent fires. As a result, cheatgrass invasion likely alters carbon (C) storage in the region. Many studies have measured C pools in one or more common vegetation types: native sagebrush, invaded sagebrush and cheatgrass‐dominated (often burned) sites, but these results have yet to be synthesized.
2. We performed a literature review to identify studies assessing the consequences of invasion on C storage in above‐ground biomass (AGB), below‐ground biomass (BGB), litter, organic soil and total …