A global soil model based on historical land use data estimates that agricultural land use has resulted in the loss of 133 Pg of carbon from the top 2 meters of soil over the past 12,000 years, and indicates hotspots of soil carbon loss that are often associated with major cropping or grazing regions, suggesting the existence of identifiable regions that could be targeted for soil carbon restoration.
Article #17-06103: "Soil carbon debt of 12,000 years of human land use," by Jonathan Sanderman, Tomislav Hengl, and Gregory J. Fiske.
MEDIA CONTACT: Jonathan Sanderman, Woods Hole Research Center, Falmouth, MA; tel: 508-444-1505; e-mail: < jsanderman@whrc.org >
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Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences