Freshwater wetlands are important carbon sinks with an estimated ~ 450 gigatons of carbon stored in their sediments. However, when disturbed they can become significant sources of carbon emissions. Understanding carbon dynamics in freshwater wetlands is a research priority to maximise carbon drawdown opportunities through effective management. Grazing can have considerable impacts on the health of freshwater wetland functionality. Fencing to exclude livestock from freshwater wetlands is one approach used to reduce grazer impacts; however, this is not always feasible. Managing grazing intensity is one option that is amenable to most farmers and resource managers; however, to date there have been no studies to evaluate its efficacy. The impacts of seasonal grazing intensity (by sheep) on carbon sequestration by rain-filled freshwater wetlands were investigated in south eastern Australia (Wimmera region). Over a 1-year study duration, this research compared: a) the effects of continuous grazing (sheep present across all seasons); b) crash grazing (sheep present within the spring); and c) exclusion plots (controls; no sheep access) on above-ground plant biomass, soil carbon concentration, and fluxes across seasons. Results suggest that above-ground biomass was 6.4% higher within exclusion plots compared to grazed plots in both continuous and crash grazing regimes. Exclusion plots had 30% higher soil carbon concentration compared to grazed plots. Open-continuously grazed plots had higher fluxes (8.69 ± 10.61 g CO₂ m⁻² day⁻¹) compared with exclusion plots (6.92 ± 15.86 g CO₂-e m⁻² day⁻¹). This study shows that exclusion plots had higher soil carbon concentration and lower carbon emissions. Further, excluding grazing from wetlands within the Wimmera region would increase above-ground biomass and soil carbon stock by 545,300 tons of carbon while reducing CO₂ emissions by 782,412 tons of CO₂ year⁻¹.

淡水湿地是重要的碳汇，其沉积物中估计储存有约450千兆吨的碳。但是，当受到干扰时，它们可能成为重要的碳排放源。了解淡水湿地的碳动态是通过有效管理最大程度地减少碳排放机会的研究重点。放牧会对淡水湿地功能的健康产生重大影响。围栏将牲畜排除在淡水湿地之外是减少吃草者影响的一种方法。但是，这并不总是可行的。管理放牧强度是大多数农民和资源管理者可以接受的一种选择。然而，迄今为止，还没有研究评估其功效。在澳大利亚东南部（Wimmera地区），调查了季节性放牧强度（绵羊）对充满雨水的淡水湿地固碳的影响。在为期1年的研究期间，该研究比较了：a）持续放牧的影响（所有季节均存在绵羊）；b）放牧（春季内有绵羊）；c）关于地上植物生物量，土壤碳浓度和跨季节通量的排除图（对照；无绵羊通行）。结果表明，与连续放牧和失事放牧方式下的放牧地块相比，禁区内的地上生物量要高6.4％。与放牧地块相比，排斥地块的土壤碳含量高出30％。开放连续放牧的地块通量更高（8.69±10.61 g CO 在为期1年的研究期间，该研究比较了：a）持续放牧的影响（所有季节均存在绵羊）；b）放牧（春季内有绵羊）；c）关于地上植物生物量，土壤碳浓度和跨季节通量的排除图（对照；无绵羊通行）。结果表明，与连续放牧和失事放牧方式下的放牧地块相比，禁区内的地上生物量要高6.4％。与放牧地块相比，排斥地块的土壤碳含量高出30％。开放连续放牧的地块通量更高（8.69±10.61 g CO 在为期1年的研究期间，该研究比较了：a）持续放牧的影响（所有季节均存在绵羊）；b）放牧（春季内有绵羊）；c）关于地上植物生物量，土壤碳浓度和跨季节通量的排除图（对照；无绵羊通行）。结果表明，与连续放牧和失事放牧方式下的放牧地块相比，禁区内的地上生物量要高6.4％。与放牧地块相比，排斥地块的土壤碳含量高出30％。开放连续放牧的地块通量更高（8.69±10.61 g CO （没有绵羊进入）地上植物生物量，土壤碳浓度和整个季节的通量。结果表明，与连续放牧和失事放牧方式下的放牧地块相比，禁区内的地上生物量要高6.4％。与放牧地块相比，排斥地块的土壤碳含量高出30％。开放连续放牧的样地通量更高（8.69±10.61 g CO （没有绵羊进入）地上植物生物量，土壤碳浓度和整个季节的通量。结果表明，与连续放牧和失事放牧方式下的放牧地块相比，禁区内的地上生物量要高6.4％。与放牧地块相比，排斥地块的土壤碳含量高出30％。开放连续放牧的地块通量更高（8.69±10.61 g CO₂ m ^-2天^-1）与排除图相比（6.92±15.86 g CO ₂ -em ^-2天^-1）。这项研究表明，排他地具有较高的土壤碳浓度和较低的碳排放量。此外，不包括从湿地放牧威米拉区域内将由545300吨碳的增加的地上生物量和土壤碳库存，同时降低CO ₂排放量782412吨CO的₂一年^-1。