Carbon stored in soils represents the largest terrestrial carbon pool and factors affecting this will be vital in the understanding of future atmospheric CO2 concentrations. This book provides an integrated view on measuring and modeling soil carbon dynamics. Based on a broad range of in-depth contributions by leading scientists it gives an overview of current research concepts, developments and outlooks and introduces cutting-edge methodologies, ranging from questions of appropriate measurement design to the potential application of stable isotopes and molecular tools. It includes a standardised soil CO2 efflux protocol, aimed at data consistency and inter-site comparability and thus underpins a regional and global understanding of soil carbon dynamics. This book provides an important reference work for students and scientists interested in many aspects of soil ecology and biogeochemical cycles, policy makers, carbon traders and others concerned with the global carbon cycle.

The Future of Soil Carbon: Its Conservation and Formation provides readers with an integrative approach to understanding the important role of organic carbon in soil functioning and fertility. Terrestrial interactions between SOC and complex human-natural systems require new fundamental and applied research into regional and global SOC budgets. This book provides new and synthesized information on the dynamics of SOC in the terrestrial environment. In addition to rigorous state-of-the art on soil science, the book also provides strategies to avoid risks of soil carbon losses. Soil organic carbon (SOC) is a vital component of soils, with important and far-reaching effects on the functioning of terrestrial ecosystems. Human activities over the last several decades have significantly changed the regional and global balance of SOC, greatly exacerbating global warming and climate change. - Provides a holistic overview of soil carbon status and main threats for its conservation - Offers innovative solutions to conserve soil carbon - Includes in-depth treatment of regional and global changes in soil organic carbon budget

Since carbon sequestration in soils reduces the amount of carbon available to the atmosphere, the Kyoto Protocols have heightened interest in soil carbon pools and their effect on carbon fluxes. Assessment Methods for Soil Carbon addresses many of the questions related to the measurement, monitoring, and verification of organic and inorganic carbon

The contributed volume assimilates the knowledge, experience, and exciting aspects of soil carbon research in the Indian Himalayan region. It includes different aspects and factors associated with soil carbon sequestration in the region, one of the biodiversity hot spots and highly vulnerable to climatic change impacts. Information on different aspects of soil organic carbon dynamics concerning adaptive land management practices and anthropogenic impacts is covered. Further topics include applying advanced tools and techniques to soil carbon vis-a-vis soil erosion research. This book is of interest to researchers and policymakers involved in soil carbon research and offer ideas to enhance the soil carbon in the region concerned. In addition, the book will provide up-to-date information for researchers interested in soil carbon research for the maintenance of soil quality and fertility in the climate-vulnerable Indian Himalayan region.

Monaro Farming Systems (MFS) is a regional landholder group initiated and developed in September 2007. The group was set up, primarily, as a knowledge- and information-based organisation, to help farm businesses to be more profitable and resilient in the long term. In this way it allows peers and researchers to work together to improve practice and innovation in farming systems. The group has over 100 individual members, from the Bombala, Cooma-Monaro and Snowy River Shires. These members manage approximately 30% of the privately held land on the Monaro region (over 80,000ha) and are responsible for approximately 40% of agricultural production. The Monaro soil carbon project aimed to demonstrate the impact of farm management strategies on the concentration and stock of carbon in soil over a two year period. Eight different land-use systems were identified by members of the Monaro Farming Systems group. The practices of interest included liming, nutrient management, introduced perennial pastures and minimum disturbance cropping. In addition the project looked at increases in biomass production within the context of reducing DSE emissions intensity and any offsets required for increases in stocking rates associated with production gains. Monaro Farming Systems members wanted to compare the influence of soil type, rainfall and land management on carbon stocks. The questions they wanted answered were: Does minimum disturbance cropping influence carbon stocks over a 2 year period? What is the effect of ‘parent material’ ie. shale, deep granite and basalt (ascending texture, fertility and structure) on carbon stocks in the Monaro region? What influence does ‘aspect’ have on carbon stocks in a system with optimum sequestration potential ie. fertilised, permanent, perennial pasture system? Does liming introduced pasture increase C sequestration? What effect does soil fertility have on C stocks in the Monaro region? What effect does pasture age have on the potential of a phalaris perennial pasture to sequester carbon. Does age create a ‘ceiling’ on sequestration potentials?

Better Manage Soil C for Improved Soil Quality In the United States, soil has fueled the availability of abundant, safe food, thus underpinning economic growth and development. In the future we need to be more vigilant in managing and renewing this precious resource by replacing the nutrients and life-sustaining matter that we remove for

This book is about the concept of the Greenhouse Effect is more than a century old, but today the observed and predicted climate changes. This second edition of Soil Carbon Sequestration and the Greenhouse Effect is essential reading for understandingthe processes, properties, and practices affecting the soil carbon pool and its dynamics.

Soil Carbon in Sensitive European Ecosystems - From Science to Land Management is a comprehensive overview of the latest research in this field drawn together by a network of scientists from across Europe. Soil carbon assessments are crucial at present to our understanding of the dynamics of terrestrial ecosystems and our ability to assess implications for the global carbon exchange and its consequences on the future climate. This book focuses primarily on ecosystems and their soil carbon stocks. The book identifies three key sensitive ecosystems within Europe: Mediterranean Forest and Agricultural Systems; Mountains; and Peatland. Contributors include those currently working for the European research programme, COST Action 639 BurnOut (www.cost639.net; 2006-2010). COST Action 639 emerged from a demand from policy makers in Europe for more detailed information on soil carbon dynamics. The cooperation between experts for reporting and experts for soil dynamics is the focus of the book. This book seeks to provide an up-to-date account on the state-of-the-art research within this topical field.

Carbon stabilization involves to capturing carbon from the atmosphere and fix it in the forms soil organic carbon stock for a long period of time, it will be present to escape as a greenhouse gas in the form of carbon dioxide. Soil carbon storage is an important ecosystem service, resulting from interactions of several ecological processes. This process is primarily mediated by plants through photosynthesis, with carbon stored in the form of soil organic carbon. Soil carbon levels have reduced over decades of conversion of pristine ecosystems into agriculture landscape, which now offers the opportunity to store carbon from air into the soil. Carbon stabilization into the agricultural soils is a novel approach of research and offers promising reduction in the atmospheric carbon dioxide levels. This book brings together all aspects of soil carbon sequestration and stabilization, with a special focus on diversity of microorganisms and management practices of soil in agricultural systems. It discusses the role of ecosystem functioning, recent and future prospects, soil microbial ecological studies, rhizosphere microflora, and organic matter in soil carbon stabilization. It also explores carbon transformation in soil, biological management and its genetics, microbial transformation of soil carbon, plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPRs), and their role in sustainable agriculture. The book offers a spectrum of ideas of new technological inventions and fundamentals of soil sustainability. It will be suitable for teachers, researchers, and policymakers, undergraduate and graduate students of soil science, soil microbiology, agronomy, ecology, and environmental sciences