Three Bowen ratio stations monitor CO2 fluxes in the grasslands of Central Asia. The stations, located in Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Kazakhstan, provide continuous CO2 flux measurements which are used in the development of a GIS model of forage production. The data are also being used to help understand the role rangelands play in the global CO2 cycle. Twelve similar stations at grasslands locations in central and western United States provide data for the same purpose. The project is a joint effort of the USDA-ARS-USU (Logan, UT, USA) and the International Center for Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA).

Case Study Summary

Application

Determining the role of grasslands in the carbon cycle

Location

Central Asia: Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Kazakhstan

Participating Organizations

USDA-ARS, ICARDA

Measured Parameters

Carbon dioxide flux, thermal flux, solar radiation, precipitation, wind speed, wind direction