The knowns, known unknowns and unknowns of sequestration of soil organic carbon

Authors

Uta Stockmann, University of Sydney
Mark A. Adams, University of Sydney
John Crawford, University of Sydney
Damien J. Field, University of Sydney
Nilusha Henakaarchchi, University of Sydney
Meaghan Jenkins, University of SydneyFollow
Budiman Minasny, University of Sydney
Alex B. McBratney, University of Sydney
Vivien de Remy de Courcelles, University of Sydney
Kanika Singh, University of Sydney
Ichsani Wheeler, University of Sydney
Lynette Abbott, University of Western Australia
Denis Angers, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Jeffrey Baldock, CSIRO Land and Water
Michael I. Bird, James Cook UniversityFollow
Philip C. Brookes, Rothamsted Research, UK
Claire Chenu, AgroTechParis
Julie D. Jastrow, Biosciences Division Argonne National Laboratory
Rattan Lal, Ohio State University
Johannes Lehmann, Cornell University
Anthony G. O'Donnell, University of Western Australia
William J. Parton, Colorado State University
David Whitehead, New Zealand Landcare Research
Michael Zimmermann, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna

RIS ID

104349

Publication Details

Stockmann, U., Adams, M. A., Crawford, J., Field, D. J., Henakaarchchi, N., Jenkins, M., Minasny, B., Mcbratney, A. B., de Courcelles, V., Singh, K., Wheeler, I., Abbott, L., Angers, D., Baldock, J., Bird, M. I., Brookes, P. C., Chenu, C., Jastrow, J. D., Lal, R., Lehmann, J., O'Donnell, A. G., Parton, W. J., Whitehead, D. & Zimmermann, M. (2013). The knowns, known unknowns and unknowns of sequestration of soil organic carbon. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment, 164 80-99.

Abstract

Soil contains approximately 2344 Gt (1 gigaton = 1 billion tonnes) of organic carbon globally and is the largest terrestrial pool of organic carbon. Small changes in the soil organic carbon stock could result in significant impacts on the atmospheric carbon concentration. The fluxes of soil organic carbon vary in response to a host of potential environmental and anthropogenic driving factors. Scientists worldwide are contemplating questions such as: 'What is the average net change in soil organic carbon due to environmental conditions or management practices?', 'How can soil organic carbon sequestration be enhanced to achieve some mitigation of atmospheric carbon dioxide?' and 'Will this secure soil quality?'. These questions are far reaching, because maintaining and improving the world's soil resource is imperative to providing sufficient food and fibre to a growing population. Additional challenges are expected through climate change and its potential to increase food shortages. This review highlights knowledge of the amount of carbon stored in soils globally, and the potential for carbon sequestration in soil. It also discusses successful methods and models used to determine and estimate carbon pools and fluxes. This knowledge and technology underpins decisions to protect the soil resource.