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Managing soil carbon for climate change mitigation and adaptation in Mediterranean cropping systems: A meta-analysis

Aguilera, Eduardo; Lassaletta, Luis; Gattinger, Andreas and Gimeno, Benjamín S. (2013) Managing soil carbon for climate change mitigation and adaptation in Mediterranean cropping systems: A meta-analysis. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 168, pp. 25-36.

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Document available online at: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0167880913000303


Summary

Mediterranean croplands are seasonally dry agroecosystems with low soil organic carbon (SOC) content and high risk of land degradation and desertification. The increase in SOC is of special interest in these systems, as it can help to build resilience for climate change adaptation while contributing to mitigate global warming through the sequestration of atmospheric carbon (C). We compared SOC change and C sequestration under a number of recommended management practices (RMPs) with neighboring conventional plots under Mediterranean climate (174 data sets from 79 references). The highest response in C sequestration was achieved by those practices applying largest amounts of C inputs (land treatment and organic amendments). Conservation tillage practices (no-tillage and reduced tillage) induced lower effect sizes but significantly promoted C sequestration, whereas no effect and negative net sequestration rates were observed for slurry applications and unfertilized treatments, respectively. Practices combining external organic amendments with cover crops or conservation tillage (combined management practices and organic management) showed very good performance in C sequestration. We studied separately the changes in SOC under organic management, with 80 data sets from 30 references. The results also suggest that the degree of intensification in C input rate is the main driver behind the relative C accumulation in organic treatments. Thus, highest net C sequestration rates were observed in most eco-intensive groups, such as “irrigated”, “horticulture” and controlled experiments (“plot scale”).


EPrint Type:Journal paper
Keywords:Soil organic carbon, Carbon Sequestration, Mediterranean, Tillage, Organic amendments, Organic farming, Climate Impact of Organic Agriculture, Klimawandel und biologischer Landbau
Agrovoc keywords:
Language
Value
URI
English
Soil organic carbon
UNSPECIFIED
English
carbon sequestration
http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_331583
English
Mediterranean
UNSPECIFIED
English
Tillage
http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_7771
English
Organic amendments
http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_12965
English
Organic farming
UNSPECIFIED
Subjects: Environmental aspects > Air and water emissions
Soil
Research affiliation: Spain > University of Sevilla
Switzerland > FiBL - Research Institute of Organic Agriculture Switzerland > Soil
Switzerland > FiBL - Research Institute of Organic Agriculture Switzerland > Sustainability > Climate
Spain > Other organizations
France > Other organizations
DOI:10.1016/j.agee.2013.02.003
Deposited By: Forschungsinstitut für biologischen Landbau, FiBL
ID Code:26363
Deposited On:12 Jun 2014 08:59
Last Modified:05 Jan 2021 10:59
Document Language:English
Status:Published
Refereed:Peer-reviewed and accepted

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