Global warming caused by the greenhouse
gases has resulted in unprecedented climatic changes. Various anthropogenic as
well as natural processes serve as sources for emission of carbon dioxide, the
most potent greenhouse gas. Soil carbon stocks, a key determinant of soil
health is getting depleted at a fast rate, indirectly placing the global food
security at stake. Considerable variability in the soil organic carbon stocks
exists in above and below ground phytomass, which vary with latitude and
climatic regions and with different land use systems. The recalcitrant carbon
fraction not only reduces the losses of soil organic carbon but also serve in
locking up the carbon by way of soil carbon sequestration thus reducing carbon
dioxide emissions and global warming to a considerable extent. Soil carbon
sequestration includes a host of technologies that are employed which has the
potential to greatly reduce, capture and store carbon produced both by
anthropogenic factors and natural means in the soil. Mitigative and adaptive
strategies of carbon sequestration are largely based on natural processes,
engineering techniques and chemical transformations. A judicious land use and
prudential adoption of recommended management practices is the need of the
hour. While tillage based agriculture damages the soil, conservation
agriculture builds soil quality, protects water quality, increases biodiversity
and sequesters carbon. Pyrolytic production of biochar holds much prospect for
soil carbon sequestration.
Author(s) Details
Dr. Naveen Leno
Department of Soil Science
and Agricultural Chemistry, College of Agriculture, Kerala Agricultural
University, Vellayani, India.
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