Agricultural Land Use and Management Practice Influence on Efflux and Influx of Carbon between Soil and the Atmosphere: A Review

Abstract

The objective of this paper is to formulate suitable policies and management practices that can firmly reduce CO2–C (carbon dioxide –carbon) emissions and sequester it in a sustainable way. Land use and management practices can influence both efflux and influx of carbon between soil and the atmosphere. Organic matter dynamics and nutrient cycling in the soil are closely related to nutrient immobilization and mineralization. Unplanned conversion of lands to agricultural production causes a sharp decrease in carbon stored in soil. In the atmosphere, 4.0 Gt C yr-1 is enriched by different sources. Increasing soil organic carbon (SOC) improves soil health and mitigate climate change. Histosol, clayey and fine particle size have good capacity to sequestrate C in soil. Land use pattern controls organic matter status in soil. Crop/grass, forestry/agroforestry, reduced tillage, quality of organic matter, soil biotic - abiotic are the major factors to sequestrate significant C in soil. The application of fertilizers especially nitrogen usually results in an increase in crop growth as well as a corresponding increase in root development takes place for building up active organicmatter in soil. Biochar amendments can impact soil C storage and net CO2 removals from the atmosphere in three different ways such as longer residence time due to resistant to microbial decay, plant productivity and reduce N2O emission. Wetland soil, effective management practices and control deforestation sequestrate 0.2, 2.0 and 1.6 Gt C yr-1, respectively. Based on these information, it is possible to increase 4‰ carbon a year the quantity of carbon contained in soils at 0-40 cm soil depth to halt carbon dioxide enrichment (4.0 Gt C yr-1) in the atmosphere.