Global SOC, Annual NPP & CO2 Turnover Time (τ)

Summary

Interlinked issues of global soil organic carbon (SOC), annual net primary productivity (NPP) and atmospheric CO2 turnover time (τ) are updated. Soil is confirmed as both the greatest sink and source for excess atmospheric CO2. Most terrestrial NPP (~218 Gt C/yr) is ultimately processed in topsoil and SOC stocks now total >10,000–12,000 Gt. More excess carbon is released into the air and water from SOC loss (>20 Gt C/yr) due to land clearance for pasture/crops, fires, agrichemical poisoning and erosion, than from fossil fuels (~10 Gt C/yr). NOAA’s Barrow bounce and isotopic analyses support high terrestrial flux up to ~800 Gt C/yr and CO2 turnover time of ~1–4 years. Earth’s re-humification via compost in organic farming offers the best and only practical/time-critical fix for climate, strategy for species extinction plus a remedy for human health.