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Zhang et al. Carbon Footprints 2025, 4, 36 Carbon Footprints
DOI: 10.20517/cf.2025.29

Original Article Open Access

Carbon balance of yak ranch in alpine meadow

Jing Zhang 1,2,3 , Yang Liu 1,2,3 , Caiyu Yan 1,2,3 , Yi Sun 1,2,3 , Yan Zhang 1,2,3 , Zhao Feng Wang 1,2,3 , Shenghua
Chang 1,2,3 , Peijie Cheng 1,2,3 , Fujiang Hou 1,2,3
1
State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry
Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Engineering Technology Research Center for Ecological Restoration and
Utilization of Degraded Grassland in Northwest China, National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Lanzhou University,
Lanzhou 730020, Gansu, China.
2
China-Kazakhstan Belt and Road Joint Laboratory on Grassland Ecological Restoration, Lanzhou 730020, Gansu, China.
3
College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730020, Gansu, China.
Correspondence to: Dr. Fujiang Hou, State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, Key
Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Engineering Technology
Research Center for Ecological Restoration and Utilization of Degraded Grassland in Northwest China, National Forestry and
Grassland Administration, Lanzhou University, No. 768, Jiayuguanxi Road, Chengguan District, Lanzhou 730020, Gansu, China;
China-Kazakhstan Belt and Road Joint Laboratory on Grassland Ecological Restoration, No. 768, Jiayuguanxi Road, Chengguan
District, Lanzhou 730020, Gansu, China; College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, No. 768,
Jiayuguanxi Road, Chengguan District, Lanzhou 730020, Gansu, China. E-mail: cyhoufj@lzu.edu.cn

How to cite this article: Zhang, J.; Liu, Y.; Yan, C.; Sun, Y.; Zhang, Y.; Wang, Z. F.; Chang, S.; Cheng, P.; Hou, F. Carbon balance of
yak ranch in alpine meadow. Carbon Footprints 2025, 4, 36. https://dx.doi.org/10.20517/cf.2025.29
Received: 20 May 2025 First Decision: 22 Jul 2025 Revised: 21 Aug 2025 Accepted: 17 Nov 2025 Published: 27 Nov 2025

Academic Editors: Yong Geng, Mengyao Han Copy Editor: Fangling Lan Production Editor: Fangling Lan

Abstract
Livestock husbandry is a primary anthropogenic source of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The Qinghai-
Tibetan Plateau (QTP), an important geography for animal husbandry in China, and is therefore a significant
contributor to the global GHG budget. Therefore, this study employs the life cycle assessment method to
comprehensively assess the effect of yak grazing on GHG balance and enhance our understanding and monitoring
of GHG budgeting in the alpine ecosystem. The results show that yak grazing alters the GHG balance of alpine
meadow ecosystems from sink to source (Critical value = 1.3 yak/ha). Sequestration of CO in soil organic matter is
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the most significant contributor to the GHG balance in both grazed and ungrazed grassland. In grazed grassland,
enteric fermentation and livestock manure and its management (dung and urine patches, manure heaps, night
pens, and dry stored manure combustion) are important contributors to the total GHG balance, where
implementing mitigation practices that target reductions of enteric fermentation and improve manure management
can help to alleviate these emissions. Due to the unique geographical and biophysical environment of the QTP,
solar and wind energy are viable emission-free alternatives to dry manure consumption, and livestock enclosure
has the potential to restore soil organic carbon stocks by increasing sequestration of atmospheric CO . In
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© The Author(s) 2025. Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
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