Fig. 4.

Total aboveground carbon stocks for non-forested ecosystems occupying public lands of the intermountain West. Total aboveground carbon stocks range from 2.69 (Mg C ha⁻¹) for Wyoming Big sagebrush (A.t wyomingensis) communities to 7.8 Mg C ha⁻¹ for Basin big sagebrush (A. t. tridentata) stands. The aboveground carbon stocks of intermountain woodlands are 18.3 Mg C ha⁻¹ and for coniferous forests is about 97 Mg C ha⁻¹ (Law et al. 2018). In contrast, mean aboveground carbon stocks for converted stands were 0.5 Mg C ha⁻¹ for crested wheatgrass (Agropyron cristatum) and 0.2 Mg C ha⁻¹ for cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) stands. There is an 84% decline in aboveground biomass when Wyoming Big sagebrush stands are converted to crested wheatgrass and an 88% decline when they are converted to cheatgrass