Grazing intensity and carbon pools in soils, roots and forage plants on the Thunder Bay community pasture

Abstract

This thesis explores carbon (C) storage in the forage plants found on the Thunder Bay Community Pasture (TBCP). Plant tissues, roots and shoots, were collected from the TBCP and analyzed at Lakehead University using a loss on ignition technique. This thesis summarizes the (C) pools, the importance and influence of C on soils and plants species, comparing grazing intensities of cattle on the pasture. C storage in the plant communities subjected to high grazing intensity do not differ from levels found in areas subjected to light and medium grazing intensities. Ultimately, plant species in all three functional groups compared (annuals, grasses and legumes) did not have differences in above- ground (C) stores at the grazing intensities observed in the TBCP.