Advances in Study of Phytolith Carbon Sequestration in Terrestrial Ecosystems of China

Phytolith-Occluded Carbon (PhytOC), a relatively stable carbon fraction, plays an important role in biogeochemical carbon cycle and mitigation of global warming. The formation mechanisms of PhytOC, the influence factors of phytolith carbon sequestration, the advances in study of phytolith carbon sequestration, and the management for enhancing the potential of phytolith carbon sequestration in terrestrial ecosystems of China were summarized in this review. Finally, future researches on phytolith carbon sequestration in terrestrial ecosystems of China were prospected. Climates, vegetation types, soil circumstances, the chemical compositions of the phytoliths and other factors will directly or indirectly affect the potential of phytolith carbon sequestration. In China, the PhytOC production quantity in grassland, cropland, forest, wetland and shrub ecosystems is (0.6±0.1)×10⁶,(4.9±1.7)×10⁶,(1.9±0.4)×10⁶,(0.6±0.5)×10⁶ and (1.3±0.3)×10⁶ t CO₂/a, respectively. Application of silicon-containing fertilizer, cultivation of high-silicon plant, and traditional enhancement of the plant net primary productivity can significantly improve the potential of phytolith carbon sequestration in terrestrial ecosystems of China. Future studies should focus more on ①the mechanisms of phytolith formation in different plants, ②the phytolith carbon sequestration in underground parts of plants from different terrestrial ecosystems, ③the quantification of soil PhytOC in different terrestrial ecosystems. Furthermore, more comprehensive, economical and reasonable management practices of improving the potential of phytolith carbon sequestration should also be further studied in different terrestrial ecosystems.