Organic carbon partitioning in soil and litter in subtropical woodlands and open forests: a case study from the Brigalow Belt, Queensland

2006 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 115 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. H. Roxburgh ◽  
B. G. Mackey ◽  
C. Dean ◽  
L. Randall ◽  
A. Lee ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Soil Organic Carbon ◽  
Soil Carbon ◽  
Bulk Density ◽  
Soil Surface ◽  
Soil Bulk Density ◽  
Carbon Stocks ◽  
Soil Carbon Stocks ◽  
Landscape Scales ◽  
Open Forests

A woodland–open forest landscape within the Brigalow Belt South bioregion of Queensland, Australia, was surveyed for soil organic carbon, soil bulk density and soil-surface fine-litter carbon. Soil carbon stocks to 30 cm depth across 14 sites, spanning a range of soil and vegetation complexes, ranged from 10.7 to 61.8 t C/ha, with an overall mean of 36.2 t C/ha. Soil carbon stocks to 100 cm depth ranged from 19.4 to 150.5 t C/ha, with an overall mean of 72.9 t C/ha. The standing stock of fine litter ranged from 1.0 to 7.0 t C/ha, with a mean of 2.6 t C/ha, and soil bulk density averaged 1.4 g/cm3 at the soil surface, and 1.6 g/cm3 at 1 m depth. These results contribute to the currently sparse database of soil organic carbon and bulk density measurements in uncultivated soils within Australian open forests and woodlands. The estimates of total soil organic carbon stock calculated to 30 cm depth were further partitioned into resistant plant material (RPM), humus (HUM), and inert organic matter (IOM) pools using diffuse mid-infrared (MIR) analysis. Prediction of the HUM and RPM pools using the RothC soil carbon model agreed well with the MIR measurements, confirming the suitability of RothC for modelling soil organic carbon in these soils. Methods for quantifying soil organic carbon at landscape scales were also explored, and a new regression-based technique for estimating soil carbon stocks from simple field-measured soil attributes has been proposed. The results of this study are discussed with particular reference to the difficulties encountered in the collection of the data, their limitations, and opportunities for the further development of methods for quantifying soil organic carbon at landscape scales.

scholarly journals The southern Brazilian grassland biome: soil carbon stocks, fluxes of greenhouse gases and some options for mitigation

2012 ◽  
Vol 72 (3 suppl) ◽  
pp. 673-681 ◽  
Author(s):  
VD Pillar ◽  
CG Tornquist ◽  
C Bayer
Keyword(s):  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Soil Organic Carbon ◽  
Greenhouse Gases ◽  
Soil Carbon ◽  
Carbon Stocks ◽  
Soil Tillage ◽  
Nitrous Oxide Emissions ◽  
Greenhouse Gases Emissions ◽  
Soil Carbon Stocks ◽  
Grassland Biome

The southern Brazilian grassland biome contains highly diverse natural ecosystems that have been used for centuries for grazing livestock and that also provide other important environmental services. Here we outline the main factors controlling ecosystem processes, review and discuss the available data on soil carbon stocks and greenhouse gases emissions from soils, and suggest opportunities for mitigation of climatic change. The research on carbon and greenhouse gases emissions in these ecosystems is recent and the results are still fragmented. The available data indicate that the southern Brazilian natural grassland ecosystems under adequate management contain important stocks of organic carbon in the soil, and therefore their conservation is relevant for the mitigation of climate change. Furthermore, these ecosystems show a great and rapid loss of soil organic carbon when converted to crops based on conventional tillage practices. However, in the already converted areas there is potential to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions by using cropping systems based on no soil tillage and cover-crops, and the effect is mainly related to the potential of these crop systems to accumulate soil organic carbon in the soil at rates that surpass the increased soil nitrous oxide emissions. Further modelling with these results associated with geographic information systems could generate regional estimates of carbon balance.

scholarly journals Agro-forestry Systems as a Means to Achieve Carbon Co-benefits in Nepal

2016 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 59-68
Author(s):  
Roshan M. Bajracharya ◽  
Him Lal Shrestha ◽  
Ramesh Shakya ◽  
Bishal K. Sitaula
Keyword(s):  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Soil Properties ◽  
Soil Carbon ◽  
Bulk Density ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Carbon Stocks ◽  
Community Forests ◽  
C Stocks ◽  
Soil Carbon Stocks ◽  
Agro Forestry

Land management regimes and forest types play an important role in the productivity and accumulation of terrestrial carbon pools. While it is commonly accepted that forests enhance carbon sequestration and conventional agriculture causes carbon depletion, the effects of agro-forestry are not well documented. This study investigated the carbon stocks in biomass and soil, along with the selected soil properties in agro-forestry plots compared to community forests (CF) and upland farms in Chitwan, Gorkha and Rasuwa districts of Central Nepal during the year 2012-2013. We determined the total above ground biomass carbon, soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks and soil properties (bulk density, organic carbon per cent, pH, total nitrogen (TN), available phosphorus (P), exchangeable potassium (K), and cation exchange capacity (CEC)) on samples taken from four replicates of 500 m2 plots each in community forests, agro-forestry systems and agricultural land. The soil was sampled in two increments at 0-15 cm and 15-30 cm depths and intact cores removed for bulk density and SOC determination, while loose samples were separately collected for the laboratory analysis of other soil properties. The mean SOC percent and corresponding soil carbon stocks to 30 cm depth were generally highest in CF (3.71 and 3.69 per cent, and 74.98 and 76.24 t ha-1, respectively), followed by leasehold forest (LHF) (2.26 and 1.13 per cent and 40.72 and 21.34 t ha-1, respectively) and least in the agricultural land (3.05 and 1.09 per cent, and 63.54 and 19.42 t ha-1, respectively). This trend was not, however, observed in Chitwan, where agriculture (AG) had the highest SOC content (1.98 per cent) and soil carbon stocks (42.5 t ha-1), followed by CF (1.8 per cent and 41.2 t ha-1) and leasehold forests (1.56 per cent and 35.3 t ha-1) although the differences were not statistically significant. Other soil properties were not significantly different among land use types with the exceptions of pH, total N, available P and CEC in the Chitwan plots. Typically, SOC and soil carbon stocks (to 30cm depth) were positively correlated with each other and with TN and CEC. The AGB-C was expectantly highest in Rasuwa district CF (ranging from 107.3 to 260.3 t ha-1) due to dense growth and cool climate, followed by Gorkha (3.1 to 118.4 t ha-1), and least in Chitwan (17.6 to 95.2 t ha-1). The highest C stocks for agro-forestry systems in both above ground and soil were observed in Rasuwa, followed by Chitwan district. Besides forests, agro-forestry systems also hold good potential to store and accumulate carbon, hence they have scope for contributing to climate change mitigation and adaptation with co-benefits.Journal of Forest and Livelihood 13(1) May, 2015, page: 56-68

Land use and management influences on surface soil organic carbon in Tasmania

Soil Research ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 51 (8) ◽  
pp. 615 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. E. Cotching ◽  
G. Oliver ◽  
M. Downie ◽  
R. Corkrey ◽  
R. B. Doyle
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Soil Organic Carbon ◽  
Soil Carbon ◽  
Bulk Density ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Carbon Stocks ◽  
Carbon Accounting ◽  
Continuous Cropping ◽  
Texture Contrast

The effects of environmental parameters, land-use history, and management practices on soil organic carbon (SOC) concentrations, nitrogen, and bulk density were determined in agricultural soils of four soil types in Tasmania. The sites sampled were Dermosols, Vertosols, Ferrosols, and a group of texture-contrast soils (Chromosol and Sodosol) each with a 10-year management history ranging from permanent perennial pasture to continuous cropping. Rainfall, Soil Order, and land use were all strong explanatory variables for differences in SOC, soil carbon stock, total nitrogen, and bulk density. Cropping sites had 29–35% less SOC in surface soils (0–0.1 m) than pasture sites as well as greater bulk densities. Clay-rich soils contained the greatest carbon stocks to 0.3 m depth under pasture, with Ferrosols containing a mean of 158 Mg C ha–1, Vertosols 112 Mg C ha–1, and Dermosols 107 Mg C ha–1. Texture-contrast soils with sandier textured topsoils under pasture had a mean of 69 Mg C ha–1. The range of values in soil carbon stocks indicates considerable uncertainty in baseline values for use in soil carbon accounting. Farmers can influence SOC more by their choice of land use than their day-to-day soil management. Although the influence of management is not as great as other inherent site variables, farmers can still select practices for their ability to retain more SOC.

scholarly journals Soil organic carbon in no-tillage systems of different ages in Southwest Mato Grosso, Brazil

2021 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 250-255
Author(s):  
Renata M. Severiano ◽  
Maria A. P. Pierangeli ◽  
Nilton de S. Santos ◽  
Vinícius Xavier
Keyword(s):  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Soil Organic Carbon ◽  
Bulk Density ◽  
Soil Bulk Density ◽  
Carbon Stocks ◽  
Native Vegetation ◽  
No Tillage ◽  
Tillage Systems ◽  
Mato Grosso ◽  
Tillage System

ABSTRACT The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effect of the no-tillage system on soil bulk density, soil organic carbon, and carbon stocks in Plinthic subgroups and Oxisols, located in Pontes and Lacerda, State of Mato Grosso, Brazil. The treatments were native vegetation and no-tillage systems established for 3, 8, 10, and 12 years. To analyse soil organic carbon, soils were sampled in each area, with three repetitions, at layers of 0-0.05; 0.05-0.10; 0.10-0.20; 0.20-0.40; 0.40-0.60; 0.60-1.00; 1.00-1.50 and 1.50-2.00 m. For soil bulk density, undisturbed samples were collected at layers of 0-0.20 and 0.20-0.40 m. Compared with areas of native vegetation, soil bulk density values after 12 years increased by 25% in Oxisols and 30% in the Plinthic subgroups. In Oxisols and Plinthic subgroups, respectively, organic carbon concentration was, on average, 20.57, 25.04 g kg-1 under native vegetation; 16.82, 16.59 g kg-1 after 3 years of no-tillage; 13.31, 4.96 g kg-1 after 8 years; 16.52, 14.39 g kg-1 after 10 years; and 17.97, 18.53 g kg-1 after 12 years. In both soils, the no-tillage system contributed to an increase in carbon stocks over the years, but not at depth, being generally limited to the top 0.20 m of the soils. Compared to native vegetation, after 12 years of no-tillage, carbon stocks decreased at a rate of 0.075 Mg ha-1 year-1 in the Plinthic subgroups and increased by 2.3 Mg ha-1 year-1 in Oxisols.

scholarly journals SOIL ORGANIC CARBON, CARBON STOCK AND THEIR RELATIONSHIPS TO PHYSICAL ATTRIBUTES UNDER FOREST SOILS IN CENTRAL AMAZONIA

2016 ◽  
Vol 40 (2) ◽  
pp. 197-208 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean Dalmo de Oliveira Marques ◽  
Flávio Jesus Luizão ◽  
Wenceslau Geraldes Teixeira ◽  
Claudia Marie Vitel ◽  
Elizalane Moura de Araújo Marques
Keyword(s):  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Soil Organic Carbon ◽  
Soil Carbon ◽  
Carbon Stock ◽  
Soil Bulk Density ◽  
Carbon Stocks ◽  
Clay Soils ◽  
Primary Forest ◽  
Physical Attributes ◽  
Topographic Positions

ABSTRACT The soil carbon under Amazonian forests has an important roles in global changing, making information on the soil content and depths of these stocks are considerable interest in efforts to quantify soil carbon emissions to the atmosphere.This study quantified the content and soil organic carbon stock under primary forest up to 2 m depth, at different topographic positions, at Cuieiras Biological Reserve, Manaus/ ZF2, km 34, in the Central Amazon, evaluating the soil attributes that may influence the permanence of soil carbon. Soil samples were collected along a transect of 850 m on topographic gradient Oxisol (plateau), Ultisol (slope) and Spodosol (valley). The stocks of soil carbon were obtained by multiplying the carbon content, soil bulk density and trickiness of soil layers. The watershed was delimited by using STRM and IKONOS images and the carbon contend obtained in the transects was extrapolated as a way to evaluate the potential for carbon stocks in an area of 2678.68 ha. The total SOC was greater in Oxisol followed by Spodosol and Ultisol. It was found direct correlations between the SOC and soil physical attributes. Among the clay soils (Oxisol and Ultisol), the largest stocks of carbon were observed in Oxisol at both the transect (90 to 175.5 Mg C ha-1) as the level of watershed (100.2 to 195.2 Mg C ha-1). The carbon stocks under sandy soil (Spodosol) was greater to clay soils along the transect (160-241 Mg C ha-1) and near them in the Watershed (96.90 to 146.01 Mg C ha-1).

scholarly journals Climate and Land-Use Change Effects on Soil Carbon Stocks over 150 Years in Wisconsin, USA

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 1504 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jingyi Huang ◽  
Alfred E. Hartemink ◽  
Yakun Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Soil Organic Carbon ◽  
Land Cover ◽  
Soil Carbon ◽  
Land Cover Change ◽  
Soil Management ◽  
Carbon Stocks ◽  
The State ◽  
Time Substitution

Soil organic carbon is a sink for mitigating increased atmospheric carbon. The international initiative “4 per 1000” aims at implementing practical actions on increasing soil carbon storage in soils under agriculture. This requires a fundamental understanding of the soil carbon changes across the globe. Several studies have suggested that the global soil organic carbon stocks (SOCS) have decreased due to global warming and land cover change, while others reported SOCS may increase under climate change and improved soil management. To better understand how a changing climate, land cover, and agricultural activities influence SOCS across large extents and long periods, the spatial and temporal variations of SOCS were estimated using a modified space-for-time substitution method over a 150-year period in the state of Wisconsin, USA. We used legacy soil datasets and environmental factors collected and estimated at different times across the state (169,639 km2) coupled with a machine-learning algorithm. The legacy soil datasets were collected from 1980 to 2002 from 550 soil profiles and harmonized to 0.30 m depth. The environmental factors consisted of 100-m soil property maps, 1-km annual temperature and precipitation maps, 250-m remote-sensing (i.e., Landsat)-derived yearly land cover maps and a 30-m digital elevation model. The model performance was moderate but can provide insights on understanding the impacts of different factors on SOCS changes across a large spatial and temporal extent. SOCS at the 0–0.30 m decreased at a rate of 0.1 ton ha−1 year−1 between 1850 and 1938 and increased at 0.2 ton ha−1 year−1 between 1980 and 2002. The spatial variation in SOCS at 0–0.30 m was mainly affected by land cover and soil types with the largest SOCS found in forest and wetland and Spodosols. The loss between 1850 and 1980 was most likely due to land cover change while the increase between 1980 and 2002 was due to best soil management practices (e.g., decreased erosion, reduced tillage, crop rotation and use of legume and cover crops).

scholarly journals Incorporation of globally available datasets into the roving cosmic-ray neutron probe method for estimating field-scale soil water content

2016 ◽  
Vol 20 (9) ◽  
pp. 3859-3872 ◽  
Author(s):  
William Alexander Avery ◽  
Catherine Finkenbiner ◽  
Trenton E. Franz ◽  
Tiejun Wang ◽  
Anthony L. Nguy-Robertson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Soil Organic Carbon ◽  
Water Content ◽  
Bulk Density ◽  
Soil Water Content ◽  
Cosmic Ray ◽  
Soil Bulk Density ◽  
Local Soil ◽  
Calibration Parameters

Abstract. The need for accurate, real-time, reliable, and multi-scale soil water content (SWC) monitoring is critical for a multitude of scientific disciplines trying to understand and predict the Earth's terrestrial energy, water, and nutrient cycles. One promising technique to help meet this demand is fixed and roving cosmic-ray neutron probes (CRNPs). However, the relationship between observed low-energy neutrons and SWC is affected by local soil and vegetation calibration parameters. This effect may be accounted for by a calibration equation based on local soil type and the amount of vegetation. However, determining the calibration parameters for this equation is labor- and time-intensive, thus limiting the full potential of the roving CRNP in large surveys and long transects, or its use in novel environments. In this work, our objective is to develop and test the accuracy of globally available datasets (clay weight percent, soil bulk density, and soil organic carbon) to support the operability of the roving CRNP. Here, we develop a 1 km product of soil lattice water over the continental United States (CONUS) using a database of in situ calibration samples and globally available soil taxonomy and soil texture data. We then test the accuracy of the global dataset in the CONUS using comparisons from 61 in situ samples of clay percent (RMSE  =  5.45 wt %, R2  =  0.68), soil bulk density (RMSE  =  0.173 g cm−3, R2  =  0.203), and soil organic carbon (RMSE  =  1.47 wt %, R2  =  0.175). Next, we conduct an uncertainty analysis of the global soil calibration parameters using a Monte Carlo error propagation analysis (maximum RMSE  ∼  0.035 cm3 cm−3 at a SWC  =  0.40 cm3 cm−3). In terms of vegetation, fast-growing crops (i.e., maize and soybeans), grasslands, and forests contribute to the CRNP signal primarily through the water within their biomass and this signal must be accounted for accurate estimation of SWC. We estimated the biomass water signal by using a vegetation index derived from MODIS imagery as a proxy for standing wet biomass (RMSE  <  1 kg m−2). Lastly, we make recommendations on the design and validation of future roving CRNP experiments.

scholarly journals CUT CYCLES AND SOIL CARBON POTENTIAL STOCKS IN A MANAGED FOREST IN THE CAATINGA DOMAIN IN BRAZIL

2020 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 735-745
Author(s):  
JOSÉ FRÉDSON BEZERRA LOPES ◽  
EUNICE MAIA DE ANDRADE ◽  
ERICH CELESTINO BRAGA PEREIRA ◽  
DIEGO ANTUNES CAMPOS ◽  
DEODATO DO NASCIMENTO AQUINO
Keyword(s):  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Soil Carbon ◽  
Carbon Potential ◽  
Carbon Stocks ◽  
Tropical Dry Forests ◽  
Charcoal Production ◽  
Managed Forest ◽  
Dry Forests ◽  
Soil Carbon Stocks

ABSTRACT Management of tropical dry forests in Brazil expanded 450% in the two latest decades; but little is known about the dynamics of these areas. Thus, the objective of this work was to evaluate if the recovery of mean original biomass stocks (MOBS) is a consistent criterion to define cut cycles in a managed forest for charcoal production, and determine the remaining biomass and its contribution to soil carbon stocks. The study was conducted at the Ramalhete Settlement, in General Sampaio, CE, Brazil, in 2018. The explorable shrubby-arboreous biomass (ESAB) and the ESAB mean annual increases (ESAB -MAI) were determined in five areas subjected to clearcutting after 3, 5, 8, 11, and 15 years, and in a preservation area with 40 years of regeneration. Each area was divided into seven plots (20 × 20 m), totaling 42 plots. The ESAB of the plots were compared and the remaining biomass (branches, stumps, and litterfall) in a recently explored area was calculated and converted into organic carbon. The remaining biomass of branches had higher contribution to soil carbon stocks, followed by the litterfall, and stumps. The carbon stocks of the branch component were 3.4-fold higher than those of the litterfall. The recovery of the MOBS of an area after clearcutting should not be used as a criterion to define the cut cycle, since these original carbon stocks do not represent the maximum ESAB production possible in the area; the biodiversity and amount of ESAB in the classes of larger diameter are more adequate criteria.

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