Grassland carbon cycle pathways

This dataset quantifies the key carbon (C) cycling pathways within a typical steppe ecosystem across four distinct stocking rates, encompassing primary production, plant partitioning, livestock-mediated fluxes, and soil respiratory losses. Specifically, it includes gross primary productivity (GPP), aboveground and belowground plant biomass carbon (AGBC and BGBC), aboveground and root litter carbon (including their respective decomposed fractions), and autotrophic respiration partitioned into aboveground and belowground components. Furthermore, the dataset tracks grazing-induced carbon transfers, such as forage intake, livestock respiratory carbon, methane emissions (CH4-C), excreta carbon (and its subsequent decomposition), and carbon sequestration into animal products. Finally, total soil respiration (R_s) and root exudates are recorded to provide a comprehensive mass balance of carbon allocation and greenhouse gas dynamics under varying grazing intensities.