Soil Carbon Sequestration and the Greenhouse Effect

Soil Carbon Sequestration and the Greenhouse Effect Second edition

Rattan Lal & Ronald F. Follett, Co-editors

Book and Multimedia Publishing Committee David Baltensperger, Chair Warren Dick, ASA Editor-in-Chief Craig Roberts, CSSA Editor-in-Chief Sally Logsdon, SSSA Editor-in-Chief Mary Savin, ASA Representative Hari Krishnan, CSSA Representative April Ulery, SSSA Representative Managing Editor: Lisa Al-Amoodi

SSSA Special Publication 57, second edition

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Copyright © 2009 by Soil Science Society of America, Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. The views expressed in this publication represent those of the individual Editors and Authors. These views do not necessarily reflect endorsement by the Publisher(s). In addition, trade names are sometimes mentioned in this publication. No endorsement of these products by the Publisher(s) is intended, nor is any criticism implied of similar products not mentioned. Soil Science Society of America, Inc. 677 South Segoe Road, Madison, WI 53711-1086 USA

ISBN: 978-0-89118-850-6 Library of Congress Control Number: 2009920820 Cover design: Patricia Scullion

Printed in the United States of America.


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Contents Foreword | ix Preface | xi Contributors | xiii Conversion Factors for SI and Non-SI Units | xvii

Introduction | xxi

Soils and Climate Change Rattan Lal and Ronald F. Follett

Chapter 1 | 1

A National Assessment of Soil Carbon Sequestration on Cropland: A Microsimulation Modeling Approach Steven R. Potter, Jay D. Atwood, Jerry Lemunyon, and Robert L. Kellogg

Chapter 2 | 13

Modeling Soil Organic Carbon Change in Canadian Agroecosystems: Testing the Introductory Carbon Balance Model A.J. VandenBygaart, E.G. Gregorich, D.A. Angers, M.A. Bolinder, H.H. Janzen, and C.A. Campbell

Chapter 3 | 29

Soil Organic Carbon Stocks with Depth and Land Use at Various U.S. Sites Ronald F. Follett, J.M. Kimble, E.G. Pruessner, S. Samson-Liebig, and S. Waltman

Chapter 4 | 47

Influence of Climate and Land Use Change on Carbon in Agriculture, Forest, and Peatland Ecosystems across Canada J.S. Bhatti and C. Tarnocai

Chapter 5 | 71

Soil Carbon Sequestration in Different Ecoregions of Mexico Claudio Balbontín, Carlos Omar Cruz, Fernando Paz, and Jorge D. Etchevers

Chapter 6 | 97

Management of Dryland Cropping Systems in the U.S. Great Plains: Effects on Soil Organic Carbon Mark A. Liebig, M.M. Mikha, and Kenneth N. Potter

Chapter 7 | 115

Management Effects on Soil Organic Carbon in Texas Soils Kenneth N. Potter, Paul W. Unger, and H. Allen Torbert v


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Soil Carbon Sequestration and the Greenhouse Effect, 2nd ed.

Chapter 8 | 123

Soil Total Carbon Content, Aggregation, Bulk Density, and Penetration Resistance of Croplands and Nearby Grasslands Paul W. Unger

Chapter 9 | 141

Soil Organic Carbon and Nitrogen Sequestration in Irrigated Cropping Systems of the Central Great Plains Ardell D. Halvorson, Ronald F. Follett, Curtis A. Reule, and Stephen Del Grosso

Chapter 10 | 159

Organic Carbon Stocks and Sequestration Potential of Vertisols in the Coast Prairie Major Land Resource Area of Texas Lee C. Nordt and Larry P. Wilding

Chapter 11 | 169

Influence of Management on Soil Organic Carbon Dynamics in Northern Mixed-Grass Rangeland G.E. Schuman, L.J. Ingram, P.D. Stahl, J.D. Derner, G.F. Vance, and J.A. Morgan

Chapter 12 | 181

Belowground Carbon Storage and Dynamics Accompanying Woody Plant Encroachment in a Subtropical Savanna T.W. Boutton, J.D. Liao, T.R. Filley, and S.R. Archer

Chapter 13 | 207

Soil Organic Carbon Sequestration by Biochemically Recalcitrant Biomacromolecules Klaus Lorenz, Rattan Lal, Caroline M. Preston, and Klaas G.J. Nierop

Chapter 14 | 223

Stable-Carbon Isotopes of U.S. Great Plains Soils and Climate Events during the Holocene Steven W. Leavitt and Ronald F. Follett

Chapter 15 | 233

Effects of Elevated Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide on Soil Carbon in Terrestrial Ecosystems of the Southeastern United States G. Brett Runion, H. Allen Torbert, Stephen A. Prior, and Hugo H. Rogers

Chapter 16 | 263

Linking Soil Organic Carbon and Environmental Quality through Conservation Tillage and Residue Management Alan J. Franzluebbers


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Contents

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Chapter 17 | 291

Crop Residue Management and Soil Carbon Dynamics Humberto Blanco-Canqui and Rattan Lal

Chapter 18 | 311

Organic Carbon Accumulation in Reclaimed Mine Soils of the Western United States L.J. Ingram, P.D. Stahl, A.F. Wick, and J.A. Anderson

Chapter 19 | 321

Terrestrial Carbon Sequestration Potential in Reclaimed Mine Land Ecosystems to Mitigate the Greenhouse Effect Raj K. Shrestha, David A.N. Ussiri, and Rattan Lal

Chapter 20 | 347

An Evaluation of Methodologies for Assessing Geogenic Carbon in Mine Soils of the Eastern United States P.A. Jacinthe, C.D. Barton, S. Maharaj, and Rattan Lal

Chapter 21 | 365

Carbonaceous Materials in Soil-Derived Dusts R. Scott Van Pelt and Ted M. Zobeck

Chapter 22 | 393

Carbon Dynamics in Urban Soils Klaus Lorenz and Rattan Lal

Chapter 23 | 401

Priorities in Soil Carbon Research in Response to Climate Change Rattan Lal and Ronald F. Follett


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Foreword

The Soil Science Society of America

is very pleased to publish the second edition of Soil Carbon Sequestration and the Greenhouse Effect. This timely publication, produced by internationally recognized experts, has been totally updated and new and emerging topics addressed in additional chapters. Given the importance of the soil carbon pool’s contribution to key ecosystem services that sustain life and the critical role of the soil resource as a source and sink of greenhouse gases, the relevancy and immediacy of this publication cannot be overemphasized. This volume fills a critical need for a comprehensive compilation and evaluation of the key processes controlling soil carbon dynamics in diverse terrestrial ecosystems, as well as approaches for modeling these processes. Because of the global significance of the soil carbon pool, it is clear that pending policy decisions dealing with carbon emissions and mitigation will necessarily include a consideration of soil carbon sequestration. Through this publication, the SSSA is pleased to provide the platform for guiding the future research agenda on soil carbon sequestration, as well as contributing to the scientific knowledge base required to guide future public policy decisions. Congratulations to Dr. Rattan Lal and Dr. Ronald Follet for producing such an excellent and timely publication and thanks to all of the contributing authors for their efforts in making this comprehensive volume a reality.

Paul M. Bertsch, President of the Soil Science Society of America

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Preface

The soil carbon pool

is a major component of the global carbon cycle. It significantly impacts: (i) the atmospheric composition of radiatively active gases (e.g., CO2, CH4, N2O), (ii) elemental cycling, (iii) purification of water by denaturing and filtering pollutants, (iv) soil quality and net primary productivity, and (v) activity and species diversity of soil flora and fauna. Among the numerous ecosystem services that it provides, its influence on the atmospheric chemistry with the attendant effect on radiative forcing has received considerable attention from soil scientists, ecologists, climatologists, economists, and policy makers. Historically, the soil C pool has been a major source of atmospheric abundance of CO2, contributing as much as 78 ± 12 Pg of C, and likely more. Such a transfer of soil C to the atmospheric pool has created a C deficit in world soils, the so-called “C sink.” Consequently, world soils now contain a lower C pool than their potential capacity under specific climatic, terrain, and landscape characteristics. This C sink capacity can be filled by conversion to a restorative land use (e.g., reforestation, perennial vegetation cover) and adoption of recommended management practices that create positive C and nutrient budgets and favorable soil temperate and moisture regimes. The process of transfer of atmospheric CO2 into the soil C pool, either through humification of photosynthetic biomass or formation of secondary carbonates, is termed soil C sequestration. The rate of soil C sequestration ranges from about 100 to 1000 kg ha−1 yr−1 for soil organic C and 5 to 15 kg ha−1 yr−1 for soil inorganic C, depending on land use, soil properties, landscape position, climate, and cropping/farming systems. Total global C sink capacity, approximately equal to the historic C loss of 78 ± 12 Pg, can be filled at the potential maximum rate of about 1 Pg C yr−1. The attainable and actual cumulative global rate of soil C sequestration may be lower because of managerial, economic, and policy constraints. In addition to offsetting anthropogenic emissions (by fossil fuel combustion, land use conversion and soil cultivation, and cement manufacturing), an important reason for restoring the soil C pool is to increase agronomic production and advance global food security. Increasing the soil organic C pool above the critical level for specific soil types and across ecosystems is essential to worldwide improvement of soil quality and enhancement of the use efficiency of essential inputs (e.g., fertilizer, water, energy). Global food security, especially for countries with fragile soils and harsh climate such as in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, cannot be achieved without improving soil quality through an increase in soil organic C content. Improvement in soil quality is essential to realizing the benefits of elite germplasm (varieties) and application of precious off-farm inputs. This volume is a second edition of the book Soil Carbon Sequestration and the Greenhouse Effect. The first edition was published in 2001 as SSSA Special Publication 57. The present edition is an update of the concepts, processes, properties, practices and the supporting data. All chapters are new contributions by both

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Soil Carbon Sequestration and the Greenhouse Effect, 2nd ed.

authors of the first edition and new invited authors. The expanded second edition includes 23 chapters, with a substantial new introduction and concluding chapter. New themes addressed are urban soils, minesoils, biochemically recalcitrant compounds, carbonaceous materials, belowground C storage by woody plants, and peat soils. The geographic focus of the book is North America. While a majority of contributions are from the United States, there are important chapters from Canada and Mexico. Thematically, the second edition encompasses data from modeling, lab analyses, plot studies, landscape assessment, and regional evaluation of soil C pools and fluxes. The second edition is an important reference for researchers interested in processes, properties, and practices affecting the soil C pool and its dynamics. This SSSA Special Publication would not have been possible without the efforts of all of the chapter authors. We are grateful for their dedication in preparing each chapter and their sharing of their knowledge with the world community. Support received from SSSA Headquarters in Madison, WI has been important to collating and synthesizing the information presented. We are especially grateful for the tireless efforts of Ms. Kate Elder, Program Coordinator, The Ohio State University Carbon Management and Sequestration Center, for her willingness to work with each author to gather materials required to bring this project to completion. We acknowledge the important role of the Carbon Management and Sequestration Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, and contributions by authors whose work includes the support of the Agricultural Research Service and the ARS, GRACEnet Project.

Rattan Lal, Co-editor Ronald F. Follett, Co-editor


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Contributors

J.D. Anderson D.A. Angers S.R. Archer J.D. Atwood C. Balbontin C.D. Barton J.S. Bhatti H. Blanco-Canqui

M.A. Bolinder T.W. Boutton C.A. Campbell C.O. Cruz S. Del Grosso J.D. Derner J.D. Etchevers T.R. Filley R.F. Follett A.J. Franzluebbers

School of Environmental Science, Murdoch University, South St., Murdoch, Western Australia 6150, Australia ( j.anderson@ murdoch.edu.au) Soils and Crops Research and Development Ctr., Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, 2560 Hochelaga Blvd., Sainte-Foy, QC G1V 2J3, Canada ([email protected]) School of Renewable Natural Resources, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721-0043 ([email protected]) USDA-Agricultural Research Service, 808 E. Blackland Rd., Temple, TX 76502 ( [email protected]) Inst. de Desarrollo Regional, Teledetección y SIG, Universidad Castilla La Mancha, Campus Universitario s/n, CP 02071, Albacete, Spain ([email protected]) Dep. of Forestry, University of Kentucky, 214 Thomas Poe Cooper Bldg., Lexington, KY 40546 ([email protected]) Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Service, Northern Forestry Ctr., 5320 122nd St., Edmonton, AB T6H 3S5, Canada ( [email protected]) Carbon Management and Sequestration Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH. Currently, Western Agricultural Research Ctr., Kansas State University, 1232 240th Ave., Hays, KS 67601 ([email protected]) Agrégats Waterloo Inc., 2131 Route 112, CP 60/Stukeley-Sud, QC J0E 2J0 , Canada ([email protected]) Dep. of Ecosystem Science and Management, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-2138 ([email protected]) Eastern Cereal and Oilseed Research Ctr., Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, KW Neatby Bldg., 960 Carling Ave., Ottawa, ON K1A 0C6 , Canada ([email protected]) Inst. Nacional de Estadística, Geografía e Informática, Av. Héroe de Nacozari Sur 2301, Jardines del Parque, Edificio Sede, Puerta 9, Nivel 1, CP 20270, Aguascalientes, Ags., Mexico ([email protected]) USDA-Agricultural Research Service, Bldg. D, Ste. 100, 2150 Ctr. Ave, Fort Collins, CO 80526 ([email protected]) USDA-Agricultural Research Service, High Plains Grasslands Research Station, 8408 Hildreth Rd., Cheyenne, WY 82009 ( justin. [email protected]) Colegio de Postgraduados, Campus Montecillo, Km 36.5 Carretera Mexico-Texcoco, CP 56230, Montecillo, Estado de México ( [email protected]) Dep. of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Purdue Climate Change Research Ctr., Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907-1397 ([email protected]) USDA-Agricultural Research Service , Soil Plant Nutrient Research Unit, Bldg. D, Ste. 100, 2150 Ctr. Ave., Fort Collins, CO 80526 ([email protected]) USDA-Agricultural Research Service, 1420 Experiment Station Rd., Watkinsville, GA 30677-2373 ([email protected])

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xiv E.G. Gregorich A.D. Halvorson L.J. Ingram P.-A. Jacinthe H.H. Janzen R.L. Kellogg J.M. Kimble R. Lal S.W. Leavitt J. Lemunyon J.D. Liao M. Liebig K. Lorenz S. Maharaj M.M. Mikha J.A. Morgan K.G.J. Nierop L.C. Nordt F. Paz K.N. Potter S.R. Potter C.M. Preston

Soil Carbon Sequestration and the Greenhouse Effect, 2nd ed. Eastern Cereal and Oilseed Research Ctr., Agriculture and AgriFood Canada, K.W. Neatby Bldg., 960 Carling Ave., Ottawa, ON K1A 0C6, Canada USDA-Agricultural Research Service, Bldg. D, Ste. 100, 2150 Ctr. Ave., Fort Collins, CO 80526 ([email protected]) Dep. of Renewable Resources, University of Wyoming, 1000 E. University Ave., Laramie, WY, 82071 ([email protected]) Dep. of Earth Sciences, Indiana University–Purdue University (IUPUI), 723 West Michigan St., L 118, Indianapolis, IN 46256 ([email protected]) Lethbridge Research Ctr., Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lethbridge, AB T1J 4B1, Canada ( [email protected]) USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service, 5601 Sunnyside Ave., Mail Stop 5410, Beltsville, MD 20705 ([email protected]) USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (retired), 151 East Hill Church Rd., Addison, NY 14801 ([email protected]) Carbon Management and Sequestration Ctr., School of Environment and Natural Resources, The Ohio State University, 2021 Coffey Rd., Columbus, OH 43210 ([email protected]) Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research, University of Arizona, 105 West Stadium Dr., Bldg. 58, Tucson, AZ 85710 ([email protected]) USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service, 501 W. Felix St., Bldg. 23, Fort Worth, TX 76115 ( [email protected]) Dep. of Ecosystem Science and Management, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-2138 ([email protected]) USDA-Agricultural Research Service, Northern Great Plains Res. Lab., P.O. Box 459, Mandan, ND 58554-0459 ([email protected]) Carbon Management and Sequestration Ctr., School of Environment and Natural Resources , The Ohio State University, 2021 Coffey Rd., Columbus, OH 43210 ([email protected]) Dep. of Forestry, University of Kentucky, 214 Thomas Poe Cooper Bldg., Lexington, KY 40546 ([email protected]) USDA-Agricultural Research Service, Central Great Plains Research Station, 40335 County Rd. GG, Akron, CO 80720 (maysoon.mikha@ ars.usda.gov) USDA-Agricultural Research Service, Crops Research Laboratory, 1701 Ctr. Ave., Fort Collins, CO 80526 ( [email protected]) Dep. of Earth Sciences and Geochemistry, Faculty of Geosciences, Utrecht University, P.O. Box 80021, 3508 TA, Utrecht, The Netherlands ([email protected]) Dep. of Geology, Baylor University, P.O. Box 97354, Waco, TX 76798 ([email protected]) Colegio de Postgraduados, Campus Montecillo, Km 36.5 Carretera Mexico-Texcoco, CP 56230, Montecillo, Estado de México ([email protected]) USDA-Agricultural Research Service, Grassland Soil and Water Research Laboratory, 808 East Blackland Rd., Temple, TX 76502 ([email protected]) Texas AgriLIFE Research, 720 East Blackland Rd., Temple, TX 76502 ([email protected]) Pacific Forestry Center, Natural Resources Canada, Victoria, BC V8Z 1M5, Canada


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Contributors

xv

S.A. Prior

USDA-Agricultural Research Service, National Soil Dynamics Laboratory, 411 South Donahue Dr., Auburn, AL 36832 ([email protected]) E.G. Pruessner USDA-Agricultural Research Service/SPNR, Bldg. D, Ste. 100, 2150 Ctr. Ave., Fort Collins, CO 80526 C.A. Reule USDA-Agricultural Research Service, Bldg. D, Ste. 100, 2150 Ctr. Ave., Fort Collins, CO 80526 H.H. Rogers USDA-Agricultural Research Service, National Soil Dynamics Laboratory, 411 South Donahue Dr., Auburn, AL 36832 (hugo. [email protected]) G.B. Runion USDA-Agricultural Research Service, National Soil Dynamics Laboratory, 411 South Donahue Dr., Auburn, AL 36832 ([email protected]) S. Samson-Liebig USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service, 220 East Rosser Ave., Bismarck, ND 58502 ([email protected]) G.E. Schuman USDA-Agricultural Research Service, Rangeland Resources Research Unit, High Plains Grasslands Research Station, 11610 Blazer Rd., Cheyenne, WY 82009 ( [email protected]) R.K. Shrestha Carbon Management and Sequestration Ctr., School of Environment and Natural Resources , The Ohio State University, 2021 Coffey Rd., Columbus, OH 43210 ([email protected]) P.D. Stahl Dep. of Renewable Resources, University of Wyoming, 1000 E. University Ave., Laramie, Wyoming, 82071 ([email protected]) C. Tarnocai Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Research Branch (ECORC), 960 Carling Ave., Ottawa, ON K1A 0C6 , Canada ([email protected]) H.A. Torbert USDA-Agricultural Research Service, National Soil Dynamics Laboratory, 411 South Donahue Dr., Auburn, AL 36832 ([email protected]) P.W. Unger 2300 Experiment Station Rd., Bushland, TX 79012 ([email protected]) D.A.N. Ussiri Carbon Management and Sequestration Ctr., School of Environment and Natural Resources , The Ohio State University, 2021 Coffey Rd., Columbus, OH 43210 R.S. Van Pelt USDA-Agricultural Research Service, Wind Erosion and Water Conservation Research Unit, 302 West I20, Big Spring, TX 79720 ([email protected]) G.F. Vance Dep. of Renewable Resources, University of Wyoming, 1000 E. University Ave., Laramie, Wyoming, 82071 ([email protected]) A.J. VandenBygaart Eastern Cereal and Oilseed Research Ctr., Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, KW Neatby Bldg., 960 Carling Ave., Ottawa, ON K1A 0C6 , Canada ([email protected]) S. Waltman USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service, National Geospacial Development Ctr., 157 Clark Hall Annex, West Virginia Univ., Morgantown, WV 26505 ([email protected]) A.F. Wick Dep. of Soil and Environmental Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Inst. and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061 ([email protected]) L.P. Wilding Dep. of Soil and Crop Sciences, 370 Olson Blvd., Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-2474 T.M. Zobeck USDA-Agricultural Research Service , Wind Erosion and Water Conservation Research Unit, 3810 4th St., Lubbock, TX 79415 ([email protected])


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