Clarifying confusions over carbon conclusions: antecedent soil carbon drives gains realised following intervention
Carbon removals associated with incremental gains in soil organic carbon (SOC) at scale have enormous potential to mitigate global warming, yet confusion over contexts that elicit SOC accrual abound. Here, we examine how bespoke interventions (through irrigation, fertiliser, crop type and rotations)...
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Elsevier
2023-01-01
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| Series: | Global Environmental Change Advances |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2950138523000013 |
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| author | Albert Muleke Matthew Tom Harrison Rowan Eisner Maria Yanotti Peter de Voil Shah Fahad Wang Fei Puyu Feng Carla Ferreira Daniel Forster Xionghui Gao Ke Liu Jianguo Man Lixiao Nie Jiangwen Nie Zhiming Qi Narasinha Shurpali Weilu Wang Rui Yang Xiaogang Yin Feng Zhang Yunbo Zhang Jin Zhao |
| author_facet | Albert Muleke Matthew Tom Harrison Rowan Eisner Maria Yanotti Peter de Voil Shah Fahad Wang Fei Puyu Feng Carla Ferreira Daniel Forster Xionghui Gao Ke Liu Jianguo Man Lixiao Nie Jiangwen Nie Zhiming Qi Narasinha Shurpali Weilu Wang Rui Yang Xiaogang Yin Feng Zhang Yunbo Zhang Jin Zhao |
| author_sort | Albert Muleke |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Carbon removals associated with incremental gains in soil organic carbon (SOC) at scale have enormous potential to mitigate global warming, yet confusion over contexts that elicit SOC accrual abound. Here, we examine how bespoke interventions (through irrigation, fertiliser, crop type and rotations), antecedent SOC levels and soil type impact on long-term SOC accrual and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Using a whole farm systems modelling approach informed using participatory research, we discovered an inverse relationship between antecedent SOC stocks and SOC gains realised following intervention, with greater initial SOC levels resulting in lower ex poste change in SOC. We found that SOC accrual was greatest for clays and least for sands, although changes in SOC in sandy loam soils were also low. Diversified whole farm adaptations – implemented through inclusion of grain legumes within wheat/canola crop rotations – were more conducive to improvement in SOC stocks, followed by Intensified systems (implemented through greater rates of irrigation, farm areas under irrigation, nitrogen fertiliser and inclusion of rice and maize in crop rotations). Adaptations that Simplified farm systems by reducing irrigation and fertiliser use resulted in the lowest SOC accrual. In most cases, long-term SOC stocks fell when SOC at the outset was greater than 4–5%, regardless of intervention made, soil or crop type, crop rotation, production system or climate. We contend that (1) management interventions primarily impacted SOC in the soil surface (0–30 cm) and had de minimus impact on deep SOC stocks (30–100 cm), (2) crop rotations including wheat, canola and faba beans were more conducive to improvement in SOC stocks, (3) scenarios with high status quo SOC had little impact on crop productivity, and not necessarily the lowest GHG emissions intensity, (4) productivity and GHG emissions intensity were largely a function of the quantum of nitrogenous fertiliser added, rather than SOC stocks, and (5) aspirations for improving SOC are likely to be futile if antecedent SOC stocks are already high (4–5 %). We conclude that potential for improving SOC stocks exists in contexts where antecedent stocks are low (<1%), which may include regions with land degradation, chronic erosion and/or other constraints to vegetative ground cover that could be sustainably and consistently alleviated. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-43fd825f7ede4d2a8e34fa0ce834c3bd |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2950-1385 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
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| series | Global Environmental Change Advances |
| spelling | doaj-art-43fd825f7ede4d2a8e34fa0ce834c3bd2025-08-20T02:27:39ZengElsevierGlobal Environmental Change Advances2950-13852023-01-01110000110.1016/j.gecadv.2023.100001Clarifying confusions over carbon conclusions: antecedent soil carbon drives gains realised following interventionAlbert Muleke0Matthew Tom Harrison1Rowan Eisner2Maria Yanotti3Peter de Voil4Shah Fahad5Wang Fei6Puyu Feng7Carla Ferreira8Daniel Forster9Xionghui Gao10Ke Liu11Jianguo Man12Lixiao Nie13Jiangwen Nie14Zhiming Qi15Narasinha Shurpali16Weilu Wang17Rui Yang18Xiaogang Yin19Feng Zhang20Yunbo Zhang21Jin Zhao22Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture, University of Tasmania, Newnham Drive, Launceston 7248, AustraliaTasmanian Institute of Agriculture, University of Tasmania, Newnham Drive, Launceston 7248, Australia; Corresponding author.Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture, University of Tasmania, Newnham Drive, Launceston 7248, AustraliaTasmanian School of Business and Economics, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 98, Hobart, TAS 7001, AustraliaQueensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI), The University of Queensland, Gatton Campus, Gatton, QLD 4343, AustraliaDepartment of Agronomy, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 23200, PakistanCollege of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, Hubei, ChinaCollege of Land Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, ChinaDepartment of Physical Geography and Bolin Centre for Climate Research, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden; Research Centre for Natural Resources, Environment and Society (CERNAS), Polytechnic Institute of Coimbra, Coimbra Agrarian Technical School, Coimbra, PortugalGrasslands and Sustainable Farming, Production systems, Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), Halolantie 31 A, 71750 Maaninka, FinlandChinese Academy of Agriculture Science, Beijing, ChinaTasmanian Institute of Agriculture, University of Tasmania, Newnham Drive, Launceston 7248, AustraliaCollege of Plant Science & Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, ChinaSanya Nanfan Research Institute of Hainan University, Hainan University, Sanya 572025, ChinaCollege of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, ChinaDepartment of Bioresource Engineering and Brace Centre for Water Resources Management, MS1–024 Macdonald Campus, McGill University, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC H9X 3V9 CanadaGrasslands and Sustainable Farming, Production systems, Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), Halolantie 31 A, 71750 Maaninka, FinlandThe Institutes of Agricultural Science and Technology Development, Yangzhou University, Wenhui East Road, Yangzhou City, ChinaHubei Collaborative Innovation Centre for Grain Industry/Agriculture college, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, ChinaCollege of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems, College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, ChinaHubei Collaborative Innovation Centre for Grain Industry/Agriculture College, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, ChinaCollege of Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, 100193 Beijing, ChinaCarbon removals associated with incremental gains in soil organic carbon (SOC) at scale have enormous potential to mitigate global warming, yet confusion over contexts that elicit SOC accrual abound. Here, we examine how bespoke interventions (through irrigation, fertiliser, crop type and rotations), antecedent SOC levels and soil type impact on long-term SOC accrual and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Using a whole farm systems modelling approach informed using participatory research, we discovered an inverse relationship between antecedent SOC stocks and SOC gains realised following intervention, with greater initial SOC levels resulting in lower ex poste change in SOC. We found that SOC accrual was greatest for clays and least for sands, although changes in SOC in sandy loam soils were also low. Diversified whole farm adaptations – implemented through inclusion of grain legumes within wheat/canola crop rotations – were more conducive to improvement in SOC stocks, followed by Intensified systems (implemented through greater rates of irrigation, farm areas under irrigation, nitrogen fertiliser and inclusion of rice and maize in crop rotations). Adaptations that Simplified farm systems by reducing irrigation and fertiliser use resulted in the lowest SOC accrual. In most cases, long-term SOC stocks fell when SOC at the outset was greater than 4–5%, regardless of intervention made, soil or crop type, crop rotation, production system or climate. We contend that (1) management interventions primarily impacted SOC in the soil surface (0–30 cm) and had de minimus impact on deep SOC stocks (30–100 cm), (2) crop rotations including wheat, canola and faba beans were more conducive to improvement in SOC stocks, (3) scenarios with high status quo SOC had little impact on crop productivity, and not necessarily the lowest GHG emissions intensity, (4) productivity and GHG emissions intensity were largely a function of the quantum of nitrogenous fertiliser added, rather than SOC stocks, and (5) aspirations for improving SOC are likely to be futile if antecedent SOC stocks are already high (4–5 %). We conclude that potential for improving SOC stocks exists in contexts where antecedent stocks are low (<1%), which may include regions with land degradation, chronic erosion and/or other constraints to vegetative ground cover that could be sustainably and consistently alleviated.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2950138523000013CarbonNet-zeroEmissions intensitySoilMitigationAdaptation |
| spellingShingle | Albert Muleke Matthew Tom Harrison Rowan Eisner Maria Yanotti Peter de Voil Shah Fahad Wang Fei Puyu Feng Carla Ferreira Daniel Forster Xionghui Gao Ke Liu Jianguo Man Lixiao Nie Jiangwen Nie Zhiming Qi Narasinha Shurpali Weilu Wang Rui Yang Xiaogang Yin Feng Zhang Yunbo Zhang Jin Zhao Clarifying confusions over carbon conclusions: antecedent soil carbon drives gains realised following intervention Global Environmental Change Advances Carbon Net-zero Emissions intensity Soil Mitigation Adaptation |
| title | Clarifying confusions over carbon conclusions: antecedent soil carbon drives gains realised following intervention |
| title_full | Clarifying confusions over carbon conclusions: antecedent soil carbon drives gains realised following intervention |
| title_fullStr | Clarifying confusions over carbon conclusions: antecedent soil carbon drives gains realised following intervention |
| title_full_unstemmed | Clarifying confusions over carbon conclusions: antecedent soil carbon drives gains realised following intervention |
| title_short | Clarifying confusions over carbon conclusions: antecedent soil carbon drives gains realised following intervention |
| title_sort | clarifying confusions over carbon conclusions antecedent soil carbon drives gains realised following intervention |
| topic | Carbon Net-zero Emissions intensity Soil Mitigation Adaptation |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2950138523000013 |
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