Soil Organic Carbon Change Monitored Over Large Areas

Journal Article · Tue Nov 23 04:00:00 EST 2010 · Eos, 91(47):441-442

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/2010EO470001· OSTI ID:1010871

Brown, David J; Hunt, E Raymond; Izaurralde, Roberto C; Paustian, Keith H; Rice, Charles W; Schumaker, Bonny L; West, Tristram O

Soils account for the largest fraction of terrestrial carbon (C) and thus are critically important in determining global cycle dynamics. In North America, conversion of native prairies to agriculture over the past 150 years released 30- 50% of soil organic carbon (SOC) stores [Mann, 1986]. Improved agricultural practices could recover much of this SOC, storing it in biomass and soil and thereby sequestering billions of tons of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2). These practices involve increasing C inputs to soil (e.g., through crop rotation, higher biomass crops, and perennial crops) and decreasing losses (e.g., through reduced tillage intensity) [Janzen et al., 1998; Lal et al., 2003; Smith et al., 2007].

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (US)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 1010871
• Report Number(s): PNNL-20010; KP1702020
• Journal Information: Eos, 91(47):441-442, Journal Name: Eos, 91(47):441-442 Journal Issue: 47 Vol. 91; ISSN 0096-3941
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

09 BIOMASS FUELS
AGRICULTURE
BIOMASS
CARBON
CARBON DIOXIDE
CROPS
NORTH AMERICA
ROTATION
SOILS