Meta-Analysis of Long-Term Land Management Effect on Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) in Ethiopia

Congreves, K. A., Smith, J. M., Németh, D. D., Hooker, D. C. and Van Eerd, L. L. 2014. Soil organic carbon and land use: Processes and potential in Ontario’s long-term agro-ecosystem research sites. Can. J. Soil Sci. 94: 317–336. Soil organic carbon (SOC) is crucial for maintaining a productive agro-ecosystem. Long-term research must be synthesized to understand the effects of land management on SOC storage and to develop best practices to prevent soil degradation. Therefore, this review compiled an inventory of long-term Ontario studies and assessed SOC storage under common Ontario land management regimes via a meta-analysis and literature review. In general, greater SOC storage occurred in no-till (NT) vs. tillage systems, in crop rotation vs. continuous corn, and in N fertilizer vs. no N fertilizer systems; however, soil texture and perhaps drainage class may determine the effects of tillage. The effect on SOC storage was variable when deeper soil depth ranges (0–45 cm) were considered for NT and rotational cropping, which suggests an unpredictable effect of land management on SOC at depths below the plough layer. Therefore, researchers are encouraged to use the presented inventory of nine long-term research sites and 18 active experiments in Ontario to pursue coordinated studies of long-term land management on SOC at depths extending below the plough layer.

Download Full-text

Effects of long‐term straw return on soil organic carbon storage and sequestration rate in North China upland crops: A meta‐analysis

Global Change Biology ◽

10.1111/gcb.15018 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 26 (4) ◽

pp. 2686-2701 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Medhn Berhane ◽

Miao Xu ◽

Zhiying Liang ◽

Jianglan Shi ◽

Gehong Wei ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Organic Carbon ◽

Soil Organic Carbon ◽

Carbon Storage ◽

North China ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Soil Organic Carbon Storage ◽

Sequestration Rate ◽

Straw Return ◽

Organic Carbon Storage

Download Full-text

Effects of Residue Returning on Soil Organic Carbon Storage and Sequestration Rate in China’s Croplands: A Meta-Analysis

Agronomy ◽

10.3390/agronomy10050691 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (5) ◽

pp. 691

Author(s):

Xudong Wang ◽

Cong He ◽

Bingyang Liu ◽

Xin Zhao ◽

Yang Liu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Organic Carbon ◽

Soil Organic Carbon ◽

Crop Production ◽

Management Practice ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Central China ◽

Mean Annual Precipitation ◽

Alkaline Soils ◽

Sequestration Rate

Crop residue returning (RR) is a promising option to increase soil organic carbon (SOC) storage, which is linked to crop yield promotion, ecologically sustainable agriculture, and climate change mitigation. Thus, the objectives of this study were to identify the responses of SOC storage and sequestration rates to RR in China’s croplands. Based on a national meta-analysis of 365 comparisons from 99 publications, the results indicated that RR increased SOC storage by 11.3% compared to residue removal (p < 0.05). Theoretically, when combined with low nitrogen fertilizer input rates (0–120 kg N ha−1), single cropping system, paddy-upland rotation, lower mean annual precipitation (0–500 mm), alkaline soils (pH 7.5–8.5), other methods of RR (including residue chopping, evenly incorporating, and burying) or long-term use (>10 yrs), an increase in SOC storage under RR by 11.6–15.5% could be obtained. The SOC sequestration rate of RR varied from 0.48 (Central China) to 1.61 (Southwest China) Mg C ha−1 yr−1, with a national average value of 0.93 Mg C ha−1 yr−1. Higher SOC sequestration rates enhanced crop production. However, decreases in SOC sequestration rate were observed with increases in experimental durations. The phenomenon of “C saturation” occurred after 23 yrs of RR. Overall, RR can be used as an efficient and environmentally friendly and climate-smart management practice for long-term use.

Download Full-text

Effects of long-term fertilization and residue management on soil organic carbon changes in paddy soils of China: A meta-analysis

Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment ◽

10.1016/j.agee.2015.02.008 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 204 ◽

pp. 40-50 ◽

Cited By ~ 90

Author(s):

Kang Tian ◽

Yongcun Zhao ◽

Xianghua Xu ◽

Nan Hai ◽

Biao Huang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Organic Carbon ◽

Soil Organic Carbon ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Paddy Soils ◽

Residue Management

Download Full-text

Soil Organic Carbon Sequestration after Biochar Application: A Global Meta-Analysis

Agronomy ◽

10.3390/agronomy11122474 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (12) ◽

pp. 2474

Author(s):

Arthur Gross ◽

Tobias Bromm ◽

Bruno Glaser

Keyword(s):

Organic Carbon ◽

Soil Organic Carbon ◽

Field Experiments ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

C Sequestration ◽

Scale Production ◽

Fecal Matter ◽

Incubation Experiments ◽

Sequestration Potential

Biochar application to soil has the potential to sequester carbon in the long term because of its high stability and large-scale production potential. However, biochar technologies are still relatively new, and the global factors affecting the long-term fate of biochar in the environment are still poorly understood. To fill this important research gap, a global meta-analysis was conducted including 64 studies with 736 individual treatments. Field experiments covered experimental durations between 1 and 10 years with biochar application amounts between 1 and 100 Mg ha−1. They showed a mean increase in soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks by 13.0 Mg ha−1 on average, corresponding to 29%. Pot and incubation experiments ranged between 1 and 1278 days and biochar amounts between 5 g kg−1 and 200 g kg−1. They raised SOC by 6.3 g kg−1 on average, corresponding to 75%. More SOC was accumulated in long experimental durations of >500 days in pot and incubation experiments and 6–10 years in field experiments than in shorter experimental durations. Organic fertilizer co-applications significantly further increased SOC. Biochar from plant material showed higher C sequestration potential than biochar from fecal matter, due to higher C/N ratio. SOC increases after biochar application were higher in medium to fine grain textured soils than in soils with coarse grain sizes. Our study clearly demonstrated the high C sequestration potential of biochar application to agricultural soils of varying site and soil characteristics.

Download Full-text

Effect of Long-Term Soil Management Practices on Tree Growth, Yield and Soil Biodiversity in a High-Density Olive Agro-Ecosystem

Agronomy ◽

10.3390/agronomy11061036 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (6) ◽

pp. 1036

Author(s):

Sauro Simoni ◽

Giovanni Caruso ◽

Nadia Vignozzi ◽

Riccardo Gucci ◽

Giuseppe Valboa ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Organic Carbon ◽

Soil Organic Carbon ◽

Soil Structure ◽

Soil Management ◽

Carbon Pools ◽

Grass Cover ◽

Soil Biodiversity ◽

Canopy Effect ◽

Soil Organic Carbon Pools

Edaphic arthropod communities provide valuable information about the prevailing status of soil quality to improve the functionality and long-term sustainability of soil management. The study aimed at evaluating the effect of plant and grass cover on the functional biodiversity and soil characteristics in a mature olive orchard (Olea europaea L.) managed for ten years by two conservation soil managements: natural grass cover (NC) and conservation tillage (CT). The trees under CT grew and yielded more than those under NC during the period of increasing yields (years 4–7) but not when they reached full production. Soil management did not affect the tree root density. Collecting samples underneath the canopy (UC) and in the inter-row space (IR), the edaphic environment was characterized by soil structure, hydrological properties, the concentration and storage of soil organic carbon pools and the distribution of microarthropod communities. The soil organic carbon pools (total and humified) were negatively affected by minimum tillage in IR, but not UC, without a loss in fruit and oil yield. The assemblages of microarthropods benefited, firstly, from the grass cover, secondly, from the canopy effect, and thirdly, from a soil structure ensuring a high air capacity and water storage. Feeding functional groups—hemiedaphic macrosaprophages, polyphages and predators—resulted in selecting the ecotonal microenvironment between the surface and edaphic habitat.

Download Full-text

Soil organic carbon in irrigated agricultural systems: a meta‐analysis

Global Change Biology ◽

10.1111/gcb.15680 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

David Emde ◽

Kirsten Hannam ◽

Ilka Most ◽

Louise Nelson ◽

Melanie Jones

Keyword(s):

Organic Carbon ◽

Soil Organic Carbon ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Agricultural Systems

Download Full-text

Effects of long-term fertilization on calcium-associated soil organic carbon: Implications for C sequestration in agricultural soils

The Science of The Total Environment ◽

10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.145037 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 772 ◽

pp. 145037

Author(s):

Dan Wan ◽

Mingkai Ma ◽

Na Peng ◽

Xuesong Luo ◽

Wenli Chen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Organic Carbon ◽

Soil Organic Carbon ◽

Agricultural Soils ◽

C Sequestration

Download Full-text

Effects of Management and Hillside Position on Soil Organic Carbon Stratification in Mediterranean Centenary Olive Grove

Agronomy ◽

10.3390/agronomy11040650 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (4) ◽

pp. 650

Author(s):

Jesús Aguilera-Huertas ◽

Beatriz Lozano-García ◽

Manuel González-Rosado ◽

Luis Parras-Alcántara

Keyword(s):

Organic Carbon ◽

Soil Organic Carbon ◽

Soil Quality ◽

Management Practices ◽

Soil Management ◽

Olive Grove ◽

No Tillage ◽

Short Term ◽

Degradation Degree

The short- and medium—long-term effects of management and hillside position on soil organic carbon (SOC) changes were studied in a centenary Mediterranean rainfed olive grove. One way to measure these changes is to analyze the soil quality, as it assesses soil degradation degree and attempts to identify management practices for sustainable soil use. In this context, the SOC stratification index (SR-COS) is one of the best indicators of soil quality to assess the degradation degree from SOC content without analyzing other soil properties. The SR-SOC was calculated in soil profiles (horizon-by-horizon) to identify the best soil management practices for sustainable use. The following time periods and soil management combinations were tested: (i) in the medium‒long-term (17 years) from conventional tillage (CT) to no-tillage (NT), (ii) in the short-term (2 years) from CT to no-tillage with cover crops (NT-CC), and (iii) the effect in the short-term (from CT to NT-CC) of different topographic positions along a hillside. The results indicate that the SR-SOC increased with depth for all management practices. The SR-SOC ranged from 1.21 to 1.73 in CT0, from 1.48 to 3.01 in CT1, from 1.15 to 2.48 in CT2, from 1.22 to 2.39 in NT-CC and from 0.98 to 4.16 in NT; therefore, the soil quality from the SR-SOC index was not directly linked to the increase or loss of SOC along the soil profile. This demonstrates the time-variability of SR-SOC and that NT improves soil quality in the long-term.

Download Full-text