Can no tillage stimulate carbon sequestration in agricultural soils and tillage affect carbon sequestration?
Adopting no-tillage in agro-ecosystems has been widely recommended as a means of enhancing carbon (C) sequestration in soils. Minimum tillage did indeed increase carbon sequestration at the surface (0–10 cm), but reduced it at greater depths (10–30 cm). By analyzing changes in carbon stores over time, the researchers showed that reduced tillage leads to phases of carbon capture and release that depend on climate conditions. Conservation tillage include a decrease in carbon dioxide and greenhouse gas emissions, less reliance on farm machinery and equipment, and an overall reduction in fuel and labor costs. In addition, conservation tillage methods have been shown to improve soil health, reduce runoff, and limit the extent of erosion. Out of these factors, latitude, water availability, plant age and species, nutrients, temperature, and atmospheric gases highly influence the carbon sequestration rate. The benefits of conservation tillage are reducing soil erosion, conserving soil moisture, avoiding fluctuations of soil temperature in the arable soil depth, and reducing the costs of soil preparation.
No-till farming cannot stimulate carbon sequestration in agricultural soil, and tillage can have an impact on carbon sequestration.
When soil is tilled, it causes a disturbance that releases carbon from the soil into the atmosphere. This is because the process of tillage breaks up soil aggregates and exposes organic matter to oxygen, which speeds up the decomposition process and releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. In contrast, no-till farming, as a type of conservation tillage, minimizes soil disturbance and promotes carbon storage in the soil.
However, the impact of tillage on carbon sequestration depends on the type and frequency of tillage used. Reduced tillage or minimum tillage can still allow for some carbon sequestration while also reducing soil disturbance. In contrast, frequent and intensive tillage can have a negative impact on carbon sequestration and soil health.
Therefore, while tillage can have an impact on carbon sequestration, it is important to use conservation tillage practices, such as no-till or reduced tillage, to promote carbon storage in agricultural soil.
Cropland, which takes up 10% of the Earth's land, is a major target for soil-based carbon sequestration. Farmers can add more carbon to agricultural soils by planting certain kinds of crops. As perennial crops, which do not die off every year, grow deep roots that help soils store more carbon. Adopting no-tillage in agro-ecosystems has been widely recommended as a means of enhancing carbon (C) sequestration in soils. Tillage can cause the loss of significant amounts of carbon immediately after tillage. The exposure of soil organic carbon to aeration during soil erosion increases CO2 emissions. In addition, soil erosion can cause carbon to accumulate with soil sediments and be removed from the soil carbon pool. Conservation tillage incorporates a range of residue management and no till or reduced tillage practices. Conservation tillage practices have been shown to promote SOC sequestration, most notably, in the shallow surface soil. However, the use of tillage can stimulate loss of soil organic carbon (C) to the atmosphere as carbon dioxide (CO2). Losses of CO2 may depend upon the degree of soil disturbance. The loss of soil carbon can reduce soil productivity, increase the need for fertilizer inputs, and reduce farm profits. No tillage increases soil organic carbon storage and decreases carbon dioxide emission in the crop residue-returned farming system.
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