Finally decided to sit down and try and get my head around 'banking soil carbon' and the whole soil C sequestration thing.
We are trying to increase soil organic matter (OM) levels for all the positive benefits that go with that - better soil structure, better drainage, better nutrient cycling, better moisture retention and greater resilience to compaction etc. So far so good, all postive stuff!
Increasing soil OM also increases soil carbon.
Are we inadvertantly accelerating the conversion of soil carbon into CO2 that comes from respiration of the increased soil OM/C levels?
To increase soil C we're putting more crop residue and plant material into the soil 'breakdown system' driven by soil microbes, but these microbes are operating at a higher rate due to more OM and potentially warmer soils, thereby respiring carbon back into the atmoshere as CO2 at a greater rate.
Will the drive to bank soil carbon actually have the opposite effect or at best have very little net effect? Looking forward to the collective thoughts on here!
We are trying to increase soil organic matter (OM) levels for all the positive benefits that go with that - better soil structure, better drainage, better nutrient cycling, better moisture retention and greater resilience to compaction etc. So far so good, all postive stuff!
Increasing soil OM also increases soil carbon.
Are we inadvertantly accelerating the conversion of soil carbon into CO2 that comes from respiration of the increased soil OM/C levels?
To increase soil C we're putting more crop residue and plant material into the soil 'breakdown system' driven by soil microbes, but these microbes are operating at a higher rate due to more OM and potentially warmer soils, thereby respiring carbon back into the atmoshere as CO2 at a greater rate.
Will the drive to bank soil carbon actually have the opposite effect or at best have very little net effect? Looking forward to the collective thoughts on here!