Plant Impact on CO₂ Consumption by Silicate Weathering: The Role of Bamboo

CO₂ consumption by silicate weathering has exerted a major control on atmospheric CO₂ over geologic time. In order to assess plant impact on this process, the study compared water geochemistry and CO₂ consumption rates by silicate weathering in watersheds covered by bamboos and other forests. Our study showed that SiO₂ concentrations (80 ~ 150 μmol/L, average 105 μmol/L) in water from pure bamboo forest watersheds were higher than that (15 ~ 85 μmol/L, average 60 μmol/L) from other watersheds. Si/(Na_silicate + K_silicate) ratios in water draining from bamboo watersheds (2. 0 ~ 4. 0, average 2. 9) were higher than that from other watersheds (0. 7 ~ 2. 7, average 2. 2). CO₂ consumption rates by silicate weathering in bamboo watersheds (1. 8 ~ 3. 4 10⁵ mol/km²/yr, average 2. 5 10⁵ mol/km²/yr) were higher than that in other watersheds (1. 5 ~ 2. 6 10⁵ mol/km²/yr, average 2. 0 10⁵ mol/km²/yr). Therefore, bamboo-enhanced silicate weathering is a potential biogeochemical remediation approach for atmospheric CO₂.