The Relationship between Carbon Input, Aggregation, and Soil Organic Carbon Stabilization in Sustainable Cropping Systems

One of our current challenges is to quantify the mechanisms, capacity, and longevity of C stabilization in agricultural lands. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the long‐term (10 yr) role of C input in soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration and to identify underlying mechanisms of C stabilization in soils. Carbon input and SOC sequestration, as governed by crop management strategies, were assessed across 10 Mediterranean cropping systems. Empirically derived relationships between yield and aboveground plus belowground crop biomass as well as estimates of C contributions from crop residues and manure amendments were used to quantify cumulative C inputs into each cropping system. Soil samples were…

• UO
  University of California