Abstract:

Grassland ecosystems constitute a vital component of the global terrestrial carbon pool， and fluctuations in their carbon stocks significantly impact climate change and ecological balance. In this review， we outline the primary methods for estimating grassland carbon stocks and discuss the effects of natural factors and human activities on grassland carbon stocks， on the basis of a bibliometric analysis of research on grassland carbon stocks over the last three decades in the China National Knowledge Infrastructure （CNKI） database. The main points covered in this review are as follows： Grassland carbon stock estimation methods primarily encompass traditional approaches based on field measurements and emerging methods utilizing multi-source data analysis. The use of different grassland classification systems significantly influences grassland area statistics and carbon density values per unit area. Alpine grassland and temperate grasslands constitute China’s predominant grassland types， collectively accounting for over 85% of the nation’s grassland ecosystem carbon stocks. Estimates of carbon stocks for the same grassland type differ depending on the methodologies applied. Climate conditions， topographic features， land-use practices， and anthropogenic disturbances collectively influence grassland ecosystem carbon stock dynamics by regulating vegetation productivity and soil-carbon stability.

Key words: grassland ecosystem, grassland type, carbon stock, bibliometrics, estimation method