Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
P.D.Falloonet al.
SOMSustainabilityand Agricultural Management
2.1
Soil Organic Matter
Sustainability and Agricultural
Management - Predictions at
the Regional Level
P.D. F
ALLOON
1
, P. S
MITH
1
, J. S
ZABO
2
, L. P
ASZTOR
2
,
J.U. S
MITH
1
, K. C
OLEMAN
1
AND
S. M
ARSHALL
3
1
Soil Science Department,IACR-Rothamsted,Harpenden,
Hertfordshire AL5 2JQ, UK;
2
GIS Laboratory ofRISSAC,RISSAC,
Herman OttoUtca15, Budapest 1022, Hungary; and
3
School of
Biology, University of Nottingham, SuttonBonningtonCampus,
Loughborough, Leicestershire LE12 5RD, UK
Introduction
In Europe, the potential for carbon sequestration from various changes in
land management has previously been estimated using data from the
Global Change and Terrestrial Ecosystems Soil Organic Matter Network
(GCTE-SOMNET; Smith
et al
., 1996). Linear relationships between man-
agement practices and yearly changes in soil organic carbon were developed
and used to estimate changes in the total carbon stock of European soils
(Smith
et al
., 1997a,b, 1998, 2000a,b). To refine these semi-quantitative
estimates, the local soil type, meteorological conditions and land use must
also be taken into account. We previously have used the Rothamsted
carbon model (Roth-C) linked to geographical information systems (GIS)
to estimate the potential effects of afforestation on soil carbon stocks in
central Hungary (Falloon
et al
., 1998). Further developments have involved
a combined modelling approach. Our new approach is based on the
CENTURY model frame and allows either the Roth-C or CENTURY
soil organic matter (SOM) decomposition model to be used (Falloon
et al
.,
1999, 2000). This allows an equal comparison of the models. The
GIS-linked system integrates land use, soil and weather data with
knowledge of land use history, net primary production, local agricultural
practices and best estimates of the current soil organic carbon (SOC) stock.
In this chapter, we describe how these developments can be used to
estimate SOM sustainability and carbon sequestration at the regional level
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