Carbon sequestration in hedgerow biomass and soil in the temperate climate zone

• Published in: Regional environmental change 2021-09, Vol.21 (3), Article 74
• Main Authors: Drexler, Sophie, Gensior, Andreas, Don, Axel
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agricultural land; Agroforestry; Analysis; Biodiversity; Biological diversity conservation; Biomass; Carbon; Carbon content; Carbon sequestration; Climate Change; Climate change mitigation; Climate Change/Climate Change Impacts; Earth and Environmental Science; Environment; Geography; Global temperature changes; Grasslands; Hedgerows; Nature Conservation; Oceanography; Organic carbon; Organic soils; Regional management practices with positive effects on soil carbon to meet the goals of the 4p1000 initiative; Regional/Spatial Science; Review; Soils
• ISSN: 1436-3798; 1436-378X
• DOI: 10.1007/s10113-021-01798-8

Hedgerows are a traditional form of agroforestry in the temperate climate zone. The establishment of hedgerows may be a promising strategy to promote carbon (C) sinks for climate change mitigation. We therefore conducted a meta-analysis compiling data from 83 sites on soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks beneath hedgerows in comparison with adjacent croplands and grasslands, plus biomass data from 64 hedgerows. On average (± SD ), the establishment of hedgerows on cropland increased SOC stocks by 32 ± 23 %. No significant differences were found between the SOC stocks of hedgerows and those of grassland. The average above-ground biomass stock was 47 ± 29 Mg C ha −1 . Only one study reported measurements of below-ground biomass stocks and root/shoot ratios. Based on these measurements, an average below-ground biomass stock of 44 ± 28 Mg C ha −1 was estimated, but with high uncertainty. In total, hedgerows were estimated to store 104 ± 42 Mg ha −1 more C than croplands, with biomass contributing 84 % (87 ± 40 Mg C ha −1 ) and soil 16 % (17 ± 12 Mg C ha −1 ) to this amount. Total C sequestration with the establishment of hedgerows on cropland could be between 2.1 and 5.2 Mg ha −1 year −1 for a period of 50 and 20 years, respectively. Our results indicate that C stocks in hedgerows are on average comparable to estimates for forests. The establishment of hedgerows, especially on cropland, can therefore be an effective option for C sequestration in agricultural landscapes while enhancing biodiversity and soil protection.