Preliminary Estimates of the Potential for Carbon Mitigation in European Soils Through No-Till Farming

Dataset · Mon Mar 31 23:00:00 EST 2003

DOI:https://doi.org/10.3334/CDIAC/TCM.003· OSTI ID:1389520

Smith, P. ^[1]; Powlson, D. ^[2]; Glendining, M. ^[2]; Smith, J. ^[2]

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1. University of Aberdeen, School of Biological Sciences; OSTI
2. University of Aberdeen, School of Biological Sciences

in this paper we estimate the European potential for carbon mitigation of no-till farming using results from European tillage experiments. Our calculations suggest some potential in terms of (a) reduced agricultural fossil fuel emissions, and (b) increased soil carbon sequestration. We estimate that 100% conversion to no-till farming would be likely to sequester about 23 Tg C y–11 in the European Union or about 43 Tg C y–1 in the wider Europe (excluding the former Soviet Union). In addition, up to 3.2 Tg C y–1 could be saved in agricultural fossil fuel emissions. Compared to estimates of the potential for carbon sequestration of other carbon mitigation options, no-till agriculture shows nearly twice the potential of scenarios whereby soils are amended with organic materials. Our calculations suggest that 100% conversion to no-till agriculture in Europe could mitigate all fossil fuel-carbon emissions from agriculture in Europe. However, this is equivalent to only about 4.1% of total anthropogenic CO2-carbon produced annually in Europe (excluding the former Soviet Union) which in turn is equivalent to about 0.8% of global annual anthropogenic CO2-carbon emissions.For access to the data files, click this link to the CDIAC data transition website: http://cdiac.ess-dive.lbl.gov/programs/CSEQ/terrestrial/PeteSmithetal98/PeteSmith98.html

• Research Organization: Environmental System Science Data Infrastructure for a Virtual Ecosystem
• Sponsoring Organization: Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council of the United Kingdom
• Contributing Organization: Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center (CDIAC)
• OSTI ID: 1389520
• Report Number(s): doi:10.3334/CDIAC/TCM.003; cdiac:doi 10.3334/CDIAC/tcm.003
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
CARBON SEQUESTRATION-TERRESTRIAL
SOIL ORGANIC CARBON
carbon sequestration
soil organic carbon
tillage