Articles tagged with Soil Carbon
Researchers found that perennial grasses like switchgrass and Miscanthus increase soil organic carbon, reducing the need for land conversion and promoting a more sustainable biofuel production. This study suggests using perennial crops on existing agricultural lands can help offset carbon emissions from traditional row crops.
Research by scientists at the University of Toronto Scarborough reveals that global warming changes the molecular composition of soil organic matter. This shift in soil chemistry could significantly impact agriculture and the environment.
A new Cornell study found that including realistic estimates of black carbon in soil climate models reduces predicted carbon dioxide emissions by 20% over 100 years. Soils are the world's largest source of carbon dioxide, producing 10 times more CO2 than human activities combined.
A new study by UC Irvine finds that fungi in dry spruce forests produce less carbon dioxide when soil is warmed, potentially slowing climate change. This discovery could influence global climate change predictions and policy.
A new study led by a University of Georgia researcher found that elevated levels of decomposition don't persist after warmer temperatures, contradicting current models. The study reveals that soil microbes decrease in abundance under warm conditions, reducing their respiration rates.
Purdue researchers found that invasive earthworms enrich forest litter with lignin, a harder-to-decompose plant material, while those with low earthworm activity accumulate more easily degraded carbon. This shift affects soil organisms' ability to decompose remaining carbon.
A new study found that wildfires lead to significant losses of carbon and nitrogen in forest soils, with over 10 tons per acre of carbon lost and between 450-620 pounds per acre of nitrogen lost. This can negatively impact soil productivity and contribute to global warming.
Researchers at Ohio State University have discovered that tropical wetlands can store up to 80% more carbon than temperate wetlands, with the former sequestering around 300 tons of carbon per year. This finding has significant implications for climate change mitigation and highlights the importance of preserving these ecosystems.
Recently published research by University of Alaska Fairbanks scientists found a previously undocumented layer of organic matter on top of and in permafrost, which can release carbon into the atmosphere as temperatures warm
The symposium explores carbon sequestration methods, including forest management, agriculture, and ocean carbon capture. Experts discuss the importance of addressing legal and regulatory challenges to ensure effective carbon sinks.
A four-year study by Rice University and DRI found that one abnormally warm year can reduce carbon dioxide uptake in grassland ecosystems for up to two years. The study replicated daily and seasonal changes in temperature and rainfall, and tracked CO2 flux between the atmosphere and biosphere.
A new analysis suggests that old growth forests, often considered irrelevant to climate change mitigation, may account for up to 10% of global net carbon uptake. These forests continue to absorb carbon dioxide and store it in woody tissues, storing more than they release for centuries.
Researchers estimate that forests in the upper Midwest can store an average of 1,300 pounds of carbon per acre per year, with some regions storing over 350,000 tons annually. Effective forest management can sustain or increase this capacity for future generations.
Scientists have confirmed that century-long droughts occurred in eastern North America during the Holocene era, with evidence of seven major drought periods found in a stalagmite from West Virginia. The study suggests that weak solar activity cools the Atlantic Ocean and triggers droughts.
Duke University scientists found that microbes' nutrient balance affects carbon dioxide release into the atmosphere. A universal mathematical formula can predict decomposition patterns globally.
Researchers found that Miscanthus can produce about 2.5 times the amount of ethanol per acre compared to corn, requiring only 9.3% of current agricultural acreage to meet the US biofuels production goal. Miscanthus also accumulates more carbon in the soil than annual crops like corn and soybeans.
John Todd's proposal outlines a four-stage recovery and development plan for Appalachia, using biological processes to restore degraded land and return atmospheric carbon to the soil. The plan aims to build a dynamic sustainable economic basis for lasting renewal and increase carbon storage in soils around the world.
A new study by NCAR researchers warns that rapid sea ice loss in the Arctic could lead to accelerated land warming and permafrost thaw, posing significant risks to sensitive ecosystems and human infrastructure. The study finds that a period of abrupt sea-ice loss could initiate significant emissions of greenhouse gases from Arctic soils.
Rising temperatures may reduce microbial carbon dioxide production due to increased nitrogen levels in the soil, but human-induced CO2 changes could shift microbial populations with significant impacts on food chains. Microbial communities under glaciers and snowpacks are also threatened by warming temperatures.
A recent study found that no-till farming can increase soil organic carbon concentrations in the upper layers of some soils. However, the total soil organic carbon pool to a depth of 60 cm is often similar or even lower than plow tillage systems. The study highlights the importance of analyzing the entire soil profile for accurate conc...
A new study by Swedish researchers suggests that charcoal may not be as effective at sequestering carbon in soils as previously thought. The study found that adding charcoal to forest soil increased the growth of microorganisms, leading to significant losses of native soil organic matter and carbon.
A new study at Cornell University has created the first nanoscale image of soil, revealing an incredible variety of known compounds. The research sheds light on the chemical processes that cycle organic matter in soil, which is crucial for understanding climate change.
Charcoal-derived biochar improves soil fertility, increases crop biomass and enhances natural carbon sequestration abilities. This revolutionary farming technique holds promise as a carbon-negative strategy to combat hunger and global warming.
Research finds extreme bacteria dominating areas with high levels of heavy metals, potentially changing pollutants into more toxic forms that can leak into reservoirs. Bacterial diversity shifts could affect the delicate ecosystem balance and impact plant and animal health.
Researchers discovered that cyanobacteria in desert soils can fix atmospheric carbon dioxide, adding nutrients to the soil. The exchange of carbon between soils and atmosphere is significant in deserts, with small changes affecting fragile ecosystems supporting millions of poor pastoral farmers.
Researchers aim to create bespoke soils with added calcium silicates to capture carbon dioxide and form harmless mineral calcium carbonate. This could contribute 5-10% of the UK's carbon reduction targets in the future.
Scientists integrated remote sensing products with soil science data to quantify soil carbon changes over large regions. The study results in a spatially-explicit carbon accounting framework that can predict future land use and inform enhanced land management data sets.
A recent study at the University of Illinois found that increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere leads to decreased soil organic matter, contradicting expectations. The researchers attribute this finding to increased moisture in the soil, which accelerates decomposition and reduces soil productivity.
A new global overview by Duke University soil scientist Daniel Richter emphasizes the need to address soil health due to increased cultivation, grazing, and logging. The study highlights the importance of long-term observation and analysis to understand how to sustain soils and minimize adverse effects on the environment.
A recent study found that northern ecosystems lose more carbon than they gain from warmer autumn temperatures, offsetting up to 90% of spring's increased carbon uptake. This reduction in carbon sequestration capacity is attributed to increased soil decomposition and decreased carbon uptake during autumn.
A recent study published in Nature reveals that northern terrestrial ecosystems are losing more carbon dioxide through autumnal warming than they gain during spring, offsetting nearly 90% of increased carbon uptake. This finding highlights the critical role of autumn temperatures in determining the carbon balance of these ecosystems.
Soil samples from a forest ecosystem with artificially elevated CO2 levels reveal distinct changes in the mix of microorganisms living beneath trembling aspen trees. These changes support increased plant growth and the ability to sequester excess carbon.
Researchers at the University of Illinois have developed a new model that takes into account nitrogen dynamics to better understand how plants and soils interact with climate change. The model reveals that nitrogen availability influences carbon dioxide uptake, potentially leading to overestimations of forest carbon sequestration.
A new study has found that higher CO2 levels can lead to more plant litter, which in turn can boost the amount of carbon released into the atmosphere. This process, known as the 'priming effect,' was observed in a tropical forest study.
Researchers from UCL and EPA discover that brown water color change is indicative of reduced acid rain, leading to more organic matter in rivers. The study's findings suggest that waters are returning to a pre-industrial state, but further research is needed on the implications for freshwaters.
A recent study found that forest fires in boreal forests have a greater direct impact on carbon emissions than climate change. The researchers used a computer model to simulate the carbon balance of one million square kilometers of Canadian forest over the past 60 years, determining that fires are the primary driver of carbon emissions.
Research by University of Illinois soil scientists found that nitrogen fertilizers lead to a decline in soil organic carbon, even after decades of use. The study's findings have troubling implications for corn production and highlight the need for site-specific soil testing to optimize fertilizer rates.
Researchers found that erosion acts as a sink for atmospheric carbon, capturing about 1.5% of annual fossil-fuel emissions worldwide. This challenges previous estimates suggesting soil erosion could be a significant source or sink of carbon.
Agricultural soil erosion removes more carbon from the atmosphere than it emits, creating carbon sinks equivalent to 1.5% of annual fossil fuel emissions. The study challenges previous assessments that erosion contributes significantly to global warming.
No-till agriculture is more sustainable than conventional plow-based methods, which increase soil erosion. By preserving crop stubble and using disking, no-till farming builds soil fertility and stores carbon, offering a win-win solution for climate change.
Trials at NSW DPI's Wollongbar Agricultural Institute found agrichar, a black carbon byproduct of pyrolysis, triples wheat yields and doubles soybean production when applied at 10 tonnes per hectare. The technology also reduces greenhouse gas emissions by up to 99% compared to traditional farming methods.
Researchers found high levels of phosphorus and low organic carbon in vegetable growing soils, leading to reduced crop yields. Compost made from recycled garden offcuts can help improve soil quality and reduce the need for synthetic fertilizers.
Researchers found that a soil model can accurately estimate carbon levels in soil, enabling farmers to verify soil carbon change and sell carbon credits. The Century model's accuracy depends on accurate soil texture data, highlighting the need for benchmark monitoring sites.
Researchers at UGA have developed a new biofuel derived from wood chips that can be blended with biodiesel and petroleum diesel, offering a boost to the economy. The process, which involves pyrolysis, produces a liquid bio-oil that is nearly carbon neutral, reducing heat-trapping carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
A new study reveals that elevated CO2 levels stimulate soils to release carbon dioxide, rather than store it. The research found that soil loss due to decomposition offsets gains in plant biomass, suggesting that soils may not be a reliable carbon sink under high CO2 conditions.
Scientists discovered that soil color can be as accurate as laboratory tests in predicting carbon content. The study found that typical description colors done by a soil scientist were nearly as effective in predicting SOC values as the more expensive method of deriving colors by a chroma meter.
Researchers found that trees can't increase wood growth from elevated CO2 without sufficient leaf area, which is limited by soil nutrition. With adequate soil nutrients, forests can sequester more carbon in woody biomass under increasing atmospheric CO2 concentrations.
A long-term ecological study of stream chemistry in Appalachians shows unexpected changes due to reduced sulfur emissions from acid rain. Researchers are seeing rising amounts of dissolved carbon dioxide in streams, which could impact the forest ecosystem and carbon balance.
Scientists have created a reversible, non-destructive chilling method to study below-ground carbon allocation in trees. This technique temporarily interrupts carbon movement and leaves the tree alive, allowing for accurate measurement of carbon storage.
Researchers are developing climate-ready crops to withstand heat, drought, and flooding, aiming to boost agriculture's role in reducing greenhouse gases. The CGIAR is focusing on refining a comprehensive climate change agenda to streamline research and improve crop yields.
A type of carbon from plant waxy material has been accumulating in soils for 11,000 years, challenging current models of the Earth's carbon cycle. This resilient carbon pool is thought to be responsible for long-term carbon storage on land and may play a role in offsetting increasing greenhouse gas emissions.
A Florida Institute of Technology professor has earned a $177,000 grant over three years to investigate the historic carbon balance of Andean vegetation and soils. The researchers will use fossil pollen and charcoal evidence from lake sediments to reconstruct past changes in vegetation and determine fire.
The American Society of Agronomy is presenting several awards to distinguished soil scientists, including the Dokuchaev Basic Soil Science Award and the Liebig Applied Soil Science Award. The winners include Dr. Victor Targulian, Dr. Rattan Lal, and Dr. Herman Mücher, who have made significant contributions to their respective fields.
Scientists have discovered that thawed loess permafrost in Siberia and Alaska contains a large amount of carbon, with approximately 500 Gt of carbon stored. This finding is significant as it suggests that the thawing of this type of permafrost could release substantial amounts of carbon into the atmosphere over the next century.
A six-year study found that higher carbon dioxide levels and limited nitrogen in soils hinder plant growth, potentially leading to reduced ecosystem carbon storage. The research suggests that as atmospheric carbon dioxide increases, soils will struggle to support plant life, exacerbating the issue.
Research challenges previous assessments suggesting large increases in soil carbon with rising CO2 levels. Plants can pump nitrogen into soils, but this process cannot keep up with increasing CO2 unless essential nutrients are added as fertilizers.
A study by Dr. Davidson examines the factors influencing soil carbon decomposition, particularly in arctic and boreal regions, where warming can release massive amounts of stored carbon. The research aims to establish a common framework for understanding these processes and inform climate change mitigation strategies.
Scientists can reproduce terra preta using bio-char, reducing greenhouse gases and increasing crop yields in impoverished regions. This technique also helps reduce environmental pollution by retaining nitrogen and promoting sustained fertility.
A recent decrease in Rocky Mountain snowpack has slowed the release of heat-trapping carbon dioxide gases from forest soils into the atmosphere during the dead of winter. The lack of snow has decreased the winter insulation of the soils, cooling them and slowing the metabolism of microbes that release large amounts of CO2.
The DOE JGI is accepting letters of intent for new CSP projects until January 13, 2006, with a focus on advancing the nation's energy security. The institute will prioritize proposals that translate genomic information into discoveries for developing cleaner domestic energy options.