Farming Carbon
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Transcript of Farming Carbon
Farming Carbon
Soil Carbon SequestrationBy Thea Hassan
Carbon Sequestration
• Carbon capture and storage
• Where to store it?
• Expensive to capture the carbon
Global Carbon Sinks
38000
5000
2500
760 560
Oceanic
Geologic
Pedologic
Atmosperhic
Biotic
Measurements in petagrams= 1 billion ton
Pedologic Sink
• Composed of soil inorganic carbon and soil organic carbon (SOC)
• SOC vital for plant processes
• ‘‘soil organic matter is one of our most important national resources; its unwise exploitation has been devastating; and it must be given its proper rank in any conservation policy.’’ –Albrecht, 1938
SOC Depletion
• Biomass burning• Tropical Deforestation• Agricultural Activities• Drainage of Wetlands• Plowing
Soil Organic Carbon
• Historically, loss of ~55-78 Gt of Carbon• Varies depending on:
– Climate– Vegetation Cover– Land Use– Nature of Parent Materials
SOC Restoration
• Restore the depleted sink• Recommended Management Practices:
– Afforestation– Conversion– Conservation Agriculture– Crop Rotations– Integrated Nutrient ManagementReduce energy needs by 10%-40%
Benefits of SOC Restoration
• Climate Change Mitigation
• Increased Agronomic Activity
• Cost Effective and Natural
• Decrease Effects of Nutrient Run Off
Potential Costs
• Hidden Carbon Costs– Irrigation– Fertilizer Use
• Stability of Carbon
• Resource Poor Farmers
Summary
• Natural sequestration to capture carbon
• Storage benefits the land
• Carbon credits exchange
Thank You!
• Questions?