Stocks, composition and vulnerability to loss of soil organic carbon predicted using mid-infrared spectroscopy

Soil Research ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 56 (5) ◽  
pp. 468 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. A. Baldock ◽  
M. H. Beare ◽  
D. Curtin ◽  
B. Hawke
Keyword(s):  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Soil Organic Carbon ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Agricultural Management ◽  
Least Squares Regression ◽  
Mid Infrared ◽  
13C Nuclear Magnetic Resonance ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Soc Stocks

Developing a routine and cost effective capability for measuring soil organic carbon (SOC) content and composition will allow identification of land management practices with a potential to maintain or enhance SOC stocks. Coupling SOC content data and mid-infrared (MIR) spectra through the application of partial least-squares regression (PLSR) analyses has been used to develop such a prediction capability. The objective of this study was to determine whether MIR/PLSR analyses provide accurate estimates of the content and composition of SOC that can be used to quantify SOC stocks and its potential vulnerability to loss. Soil was collected from a field trial incorporating a range of land use (pasture, arable cropping and bare fallow) and tillage (intensive, minimum and no tillage) treatments over a nine-year period. The SOC content was measured by dry combustion analysis. Particulate organic carbon was separated from other forms of carbon on the basis of particle size (SOC in the >50 µm fraction). Resistant organic carbon was quantified using solid-state 13C nuclear magnetic resonance. The MIR/PLSR algorithms were successfully developed to predict the natural logarithms of the contents of SOC and POC in the collected soils. With initial calibration, a single MIR analysis could be used in conjunction with PLSR algorithms to predict the content of SOC and its allocation to component fractions. The MIR/PLSR predicted SOC contents provided reliable estimates of the impact of agricultural management on the 0–25-cm SOC stocks, as well as an indication of the vulnerability of SOC to loss. Development of this capability will facilitate the rapid and cost effective collection of SOC content data for detecting the impact of agricultural management treatments on SOC stocks, composition and potential vulnerability to change.

Influence of agricultural management on soil organic carbon: A compendium and assessment of Canadian studies

2003 ◽  
Vol 83 (4) ◽  
pp. 363-380 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. J. VandenBygaart ◽  
E. G. Gregorich ◽  
D. A. Angers
Keyword(s):  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Soil Organic Carbon ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Agricultural Management ◽  
Organic Fertilizers ◽  
Published Data ◽  
Native Land ◽  
Soc Stocks ◽  
Long Term Studies

To fulfill commitments under the Kyoto Protocol, Canada is required to provide verifiable estimates and uncertainties for soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks, and for changes in those stocks over time. Estimates and uncertainties for agricultural soils can be derived from long-term studies that have measured differences in SOC between different management practices. We compiled published data from long-term studies in Canada to assess the effect of agricultural management on SOC. A total of 62 studies were compiled, in which the difference in SOC was determined for conversion from native land to cropland, and for different tillage, crop rotation and fertilizer management practices. There was a loss of 24 ± 6% of the SOC after native land was converted to agricultural land. No-till (NT) increased the storage of SOC in western Canada by 2.9 ± 1.3 Mg ha-1; however, in eastern Canada conversion to NT did not increase SOC. In general, the potential to store SOC when NT was adopted decreased with increasing background levels of SOC. Using no-tillage, reducing summer fallow, including hay in rotation with wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), plowing green manures into the soil, and applying N and organic fertilizers were the practices that tended to show the most consistent in creases in SOC storage. By relating treatment SOC levels to those in the control treatments, SOC stock change factors and their levels of uncertainty were derived for use in empirical models, such as the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Guidelines model for C stock changes. However, we must be careful when attempting to extrapolate research plot data to farmers’ fields since the history of soil and crop management has a significant influence on existing and future SOC stocks. Key words: C sequestration, tillage, crop rotations, fertilizer, cropping intensity, Canada

scholarly journals Monitoring Grassland Management Effects on Soil Organic Carbon—A Matter of Scale

Agronomy ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 2016
Author(s):  
Alexandra Crème ◽  
Cornelia Rumpel ◽  
Sparkle L. Malone ◽  
Nicolas P. A. Saby ◽  
Emmanuelle Vaudour ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Soil Organic Carbon ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Management Practice ◽  
Grassland Management ◽  
Soil Parameters ◽  
Continuous Cropping ◽  
Spatially Resolved ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Soc Stocks

Introduction of temporary grasslands into cropping cycles could be a sustainable management practice leading to increased soil organic carbon (SOC) to contribute to climate change adaption and mitigation. To investigate the impact of temporary grassland management practices on SOC storage of croplands, we used a spatially resolved sampling approach combined with geostatistical analyses across an agricultural experiment. The experiment included blocks (0.4- to 3-ha blocks) of continuous grassland, continuous cropping and temporary grasslands with different durations and N-fertilizations on a 23-ha site in western France. We measured changes in SOC storage over this 9-year experiment on loamy soil and investigated physicochemical soil parameters. In the soil profiles (0–90 cm), SOC stocks ranged from 82.7 to 98.5 t ha−1 in 2005 and from 81.3 to 103.9 t ha−1 in 2014. On 0.4-ha blocks, the continuous grassland increased SOC in the soil profile with highest gains in the first 30 cm, while losses were recorded under continuous cropping. Where temporary grasslands were introduced into cropping cycles, SOC stocks were maintained. These observations were only partly confirmed when changing the scale of observation to 3-ha blocks. At the 3-ha scale, most grassland treatments exhibited both gains and losses of SOC, which could be partly related to soil physicochemical properties. Overall, our data suggest that both management practices and soil characteristics determine if carbon will accumulate in SOC pools. For detailed understanding of SOC changes, a combination of measurements at different scales is necessary.

The resilience of soil organic carbon stocks under contrasting hill country pasture management practices

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alec Mackay ◽  
Ronaldo Eduardo Vibart ◽  
Catherine McKenzie ◽  
Brian Devantier ◽  
Emma Noakes
Keyword(s):  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Soil Organic Carbon ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Pasture Management ◽  
Single Superphosphate ◽  
Hill Country ◽  
Soil Organic Carbon Stocks ◽  
Environmental Goals ◽  
The Stability ◽  
Soc Stocks

In 2020 we measured the stability of soil organic carbon (SOC) concentrations and stocks under contrasting hill country pasture regimes, by sampling three slope classes and three aspect locations on each of three farmlets of a long-term phosphorus fertiliser and sheep grazing experiment. The farmlets included no annual phosphorus (NF), 125 kg of single superphosphate/ha (LF), or 375 kg superphosphate/ha (HF) that has been applied on an annual basis since 1980. Results from the 2020 sampling event were added to previous results reported from soil samples collected in 2003 and 2014. The SOC concentrations in the topsoil (0-75 mm depth), ranging from 4.23 to 5.99% across all slopes and aspects of the farmlets, fell within the normal range (≥3.5 and <7.0%) required for sustaining production and environmental goals. A trend was shown for greater SOC stocks in the topsoil in the HF farmlet (34.0 Mg/ ha) compared with the other two farmlets (31.6 Mg/ha), but this trend was not evident in the deeper soil layers (75-150, 150-300, 0-300 mm). Under the current conditions, topographical features such as slope and aspect had a more profound influence on SOC stocks than management history.

scholarly journals Total and Active Soil Organic Carbon from Long‐term Agricultural Management Practices in West Tennessee

ael ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 180062 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sindhu Jagadamma ◽  
Michael E. Essington ◽  
Sutie Xu ◽  
Xinhua Yin
Keyword(s):  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Soil Organic Carbon ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Agricultural Management ◽  
West Tennessee

Contrasting agricultural management effects on soil organic carbon dynamics between topsoil and subsoil

Soil Research ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 59 (1) ◽  
pp. 24
Author(s):  
Yui Osanai ◽  
Oliver Knox ◽  
Gunasekhar Nachimuthu ◽  
Brian Wilson
Keyword(s):  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Soil Organic Carbon ◽  
Nitrogen Availability ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Cropping System ◽  
Agricultural Management ◽  
Agricultural Practice ◽  
Organic Fraction ◽  
Soc Stock ◽  
The Impact

Agricultural practices (e.g. tillage, crop rotation and fertiliser application) have a strong influence on the balance between carbon (C) input and output by altering physicochemical and microbial properties that control decomposition processes in the soil. Recent studies suggest that the mechanisms by which agricultural practice impacts soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics in the topsoil may not be the same as those in the subsoil. Here, we assessed SOC stock, soil organic fractions and nitrogen availability to 1.0 m in soils under a cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.)-based cropping system, and assessed the impact of agricultural management (three historical cropping systems with or without maize (Zea mays L.) rotation) on SOC storage. We found that the maize rotation and changes in the particulate organic fraction influenced SOC stock in the topsoil, although the overall change in SOC stock was small. The large increase in subsoil SOC stock (by 31%) was dominated by changes in the mineral-associated organic fraction, which were influenced by historical cropping systems and recent maize rotation directly and indirectly via changes in soil nitrogen availability. The strong direct effect of maize rotation on SOC stock, particularly in the subsoil, suggests that the direct transfer of C into the subsoil SOC pool may dominate C dynamics in this cropping system. Therefore, agricultural management that affects the movement of C within the soil profile (e.g. changes in soil physical properties) could have a significant consequence for subsoil C storage.

Impact of agricultural management practices on soil organic carbon: simulation of Australian wheat systems

2013 ◽  
Vol 19 (5) ◽  
pp. 1585-1597 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gang Zhao ◽  
Brett A. Bryan ◽  
Darran King ◽  
Zhongkui Luo ◽  
Enli Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Soil Organic Carbon ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Agricultural Management ◽  
Australian Wheat

scholarly journals What are the effects of agricultural management on soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks?

2014 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 2 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bo Söderström ◽  
Katarina Hedlund ◽  
Louise E Jackson ◽  
Thomas Kätterer ◽  
Emanuele Lugato ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Soil Organic Carbon ◽  
Agricultural Management ◽  
Soc Stocks

scholarly journals Assessing Soil Organic Carbon in Soils to Enhance and Track Future Carbon Stocks

Agronomy ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 1139
Author(s):  
Yun-Ya Yang ◽  
Avi Goldsmith ◽  
Ilana Herold ◽  
Sebastian Lecha ◽  
Gurpal S. Toor
Keyword(s):  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Soil Organic Carbon ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Agricultural Soils ◽  
Soil Layer ◽  
Parent Material ◽  
Sample Collection ◽  
Surface Layers ◽  
Grid Sampling ◽  
Soc Stocks

Soils represent the largest terrestrial sink of carbon (C) on Earth, yet the quantification of the amount of soil organic carbon (SOC) is challenging due to the spatial variability inherent in agricultural soils. Our objective was to use a grid sampling approach to assess the magnitude of SOC variability and determine the current SOC stocks in three typical agricultural fields in Maryland, United States. A selected area in each field (4000 m2) was divided into eight grids (20 m × 25 m) for soil sample collection at three fixed depth intervals (0–20 cm, 20–40 cm, and 40–60 cm). Soil pH in all fields was significantly (p < 0.05) greater in the surface soil layer (6.2–6.4) than lower soil layers (4.7–5.9). The mean SOC stocks in the surface layers (0–20 cm: 1.7–2.5 kg/m2) were 47% to 53% of the total SOC stocks at 0–60 cm depth, and were significantly greater than sub-surface layers (20–40 cm: 0.9–1.3 kg/m2; 40–60 cm: 0.8–0.9 kg/m2). Carbon to nitrogen (C/N) ratio and stable C isotopic composition (δ13C) were used to understand the characteristics of SOC in three fields. The C/N ratio was positively corelated (r > 0.96) with SOC stocks, which were lower in sub-surface than surface layers. Differences in C/N ratios and δ13C signatures were observed among the three fields. The calculated values of SOC stocks at 0–60 cm depth ranged from 37 to 47 Mg/ha and were not significantly different in three fields likely due to the similar parent material, soil types, climate, and a short history of changes in management practices. A small variability (~10% coefficient of variation) in SOC stocks across eight sampling grids in each field suggests that re-sampling these grids in the future can lead to accurately determining and tracking changes in SOC stocks.

scholarly journals Soil organic carbon dynamics from agricultural management practices under climate change

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 1037-1055
Author(s):  
Tobias Herzfeld ◽  
Jens Heinke ◽  
Susanne Rolinski ◽  
Christoph Müller
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Soil Organic Carbon ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Residue Management ◽  
Biophysical Model ◽  
Management Systems ◽  
Climate Change Scenarios ◽  
Warm Temperate ◽  
Soc Stocks

Abstract. Sequestration of soil organic carbon (SOC) on cropland has been proposed as a climate change mitigation strategy to reduce global greenhouse gas (GHG) concentrations in the atmosphere, which in particular is needed to achieve the targets proposed in the Paris Agreement to limit the increase in atmospheric temperature to well below 2 ∘C. We analyze the historical evolution and future development of cropland SOC using the global process-based biophysical model LPJmL, which was recently extended by a detailed representation of tillage practices and residue management (version 5.0-tillage2). We find that model results for historical global estimates for SOC stocks are at the upper end of available literature, with ∼2650 Pg C of SOC stored globally in the year 2018, ∼170 Pg C of which is stored in cropland soils. In future projections, assuming no further changes in current cropland patterns and under four different management assumptions with two different climate forcings, RCP2.6 and RCP8.5, results suggest that agricultural SOC stocks decline in all scenarios, as the decomposition of SOC outweighs the increase in carbon inputs into the soil from altered management practices. Different climate change scenarios, as well as assumptions on tillage management, play a minor role in explaining differences in SOC stocks. The choice of tillage practice explains between 0.2 % and 1.3 % of total cropland SOC stock change in the year 2100. Future dynamics in cropland SOC are most strongly controlled by residue management: whether residues are left on the field or harvested. We find that on current cropland, global cropland SOC stocks decline until the end of the century by only 1.0 % to 1.4 % if residue retention management systems are generally applied and by 26.7 % to 27.3 % in the case of residue harvest. For different climatic regions, increases in cropland SOC can only be found for tropical dry, warm temperate moist, and warm temperate dry regions in management systems that retain residues.

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