AFRY’s Post

Organic-rich agricultural soils, including drained peatlands, are hotspots for atmospheric CO2 emissions. That much is undisputed. But definitions of organic soils vary widely. National greenhouse gas inventories generally assign area-scale CO2 emission factors to soils with >12% organic carbon (OC), but soils with 6-12% OC are ignored or treated with lower emission factors. In an incubation study at the Department of Agroecology - Aarhus University, with soils from 103 sites in Denmark, we found no difference in area-scaled CO2 emissions from soils with 6-12% and >12% OC. This suggests a need for targeted field research to refine CO2 emission factors for 6-12% OC soils in countries with large proportions of organic soils in transition to organo-mineral soils. Work carried out and published in Communications Earth & Environment in collaboration with Zhi Liang, Cecilie Hermansen, Peter Lystbæk Weber, Charles Pesch, Mogens H. Greve, Lis Wollesen de Jonge, Maarit Mäenpää and Jens Leifeld. #OrganicSoils #Peatlands #GreenhouseGases #CarbonEmissions #CO2Emissions https://lnkd.in/drygMeQi

I am thrilled to share our recent Danish national-scale study, where we found no difference in area-scaled CO2 emissions from organic-rich soils with 6-12% and >12% organic carbon (OC). In this incubation study conducted at Department of Agroecology - Aarhus University, we have shown that area-scaled CO2 emissions are not controlled by OC content and OC density in topsoils with >6% OC, collected from 103 sites across Denmark. This indicates the need for more field research to refine CO2 emission factors for 6-12% OC soils, especially in countries with significant areas of organic soils transitioning to organo-mineral soils. The definition of organic-rich soils varies between countries and organizations. In Denmark, soils with >6% OC in the top 30 cm are classified as organic, while other countries use thresholds of >12% OC (or higher) and generally overlook emissions from 6-12% OC soils in national inventories. Our study calls for a rethinking of how organic-rich soils and their CO2 emissions are categorized and accounted at a global scale. This work is published in Communications Earth & Environment in great collaboration with Cecilie Hermansen, Peter Lystbæk Weber, Charles Pesch, Mogens H. Greve, Lis Wollesen de Jonge, Maarit Mäenpää, Jens Leifeld and Lars Elsgaard.

"Improved land practices can reduce disturbance to the global pool of soil inorganic carbon, and may even be able to make it bigger. In agriculture, making irrigation and fertilization better adjusted to plant growth needs can reduce impact on inorganic carbon. In some soils, organic amendments such as compost and manure can protect against acidification, improve calcium levels and increase soil inorganic carbon." EarthOptics BCarbon Shell Low Carbon Solutions Carbon Cowboys Understanding Ag, LLC - Experts in Regenerative Ag ExxonMobil Low Carbon Solutions Bloody Buckets Cattle Company The Land Board https://lnkd.in/gtieBcVA

🌍📝 The implications of the concerns raised by the researchers on soil carbon sequestration estimates can have specific effects on farming practices: 🎄Management Decisions: Farmers often make decisions based on recommendations for enhancing soil health and carbon sequestration. If the potential benefits are overestimated, it could influence farmers' choices in adopting specific practices, potentially impacting crop yields and resource allocation. 🎄Economic Considerations: Implementing certain soil management practices, such as adding compost or biochar, incurs costs. If the expected carbon sequestration benefits are not as substantial as thought, farmers may need to reassess the economic viability of these practices and consider alternative approaches. 🎄Long-Term Sustainability: While the researchers acknowledge the long-term benefits of boosting soil organic matter, the short-term impact on mitigating climate change may be limited. Farmers may need to balance the long-term sustainability of their practices with the need for more immediate climate change mitigation. 🎄Resource Availability: The uncertainty regarding the availability of organic resources like compost or biochar raises questions about the practicality of implementing certain soil management practices on a larger scale. Farmers may need to consider the logistical challenges and costs associated with obtaining these resources. In essence, the implications for farming underscore the importance of providing farmers with accurate and realistic information about the short-term and long-term effects of different soil management practices. This information can empower them to make informed decisions that align with both sustainable agriculture and climate change mitigation goals. https://lnkd.in/da3XJmDu ©®™✓📠✉️ agricconsultant995@gmail.com #EnsuringFoodSecurity #YourFavouriteFarmer 24/7 👑 #sustainableagriculture #carbonsequestration #soil #biochar

"Seaweed farming could make an economically feasible contribute to Canada’s climate goals if markets for value-added seaweed based products are developed" This paper, looking at the potential carbon sequestration of seaweed farms in temperate waters, once again highlights how " seaweed-based products have substantially more potential for reducing atmospheric greenhouse gas emissions through product replacement than by sinking seaweed for carbon sequestration" - a finding that we're seeing over and over again. While CDR strategies might look to utilise the detrital production of seaweed farms to offset carbon production elsewhere, a much better application of seaweed would be as a lower-carbon alternative to other products, with detrital production as a side benefit. We need to push forward in developing these products, bringing down the cost of production to make them viable and competitive, and utilise the resources we have at our disposal. #carbon #carbonoffset #seaweed #blueeconomy #macroalgae https://lnkd.in/eiyGkb5N

#Climatic projections indicate substantial impacts on #global #ecosystems , including reduced #crop #yields and escalated #soil #carbon depletion. The widespread adoption of returning crop residue to regulate soil properties and improve yields has been well-established. However, the long-term effects of #residue #return on soil organic carbon (#SOC ) and yield in film-mulched farmland, especially under future climate conditions, are not clear. To address this issue, in collaboration with Northwest A&F University we The UWA Institute of Agriculture The University of Western Australia, used the SPACSYS model which was calibrated with 5-year (2016-2020) field experiment data from various mulching and fertilization treatment in northwest China. Furthermore, we investigated the impact of climate change on SOC storage in 20 cm and maize yield with calibrated SPACSYS model driven by 27 #global #climate #models under two climate scenarios. For more details see our paper just published in Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment https://lnkd.in/gxtxdZmR

Soil carbon sequestration involves enhancing the capacity of soils to capture and store carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through changes in land management practices. The carbon content of soil is determined by a balance between carbon inputs, such as organic matter from plant residues, root exudates, and animal manure, and carbon losses, primarily through microbial decomposition and respiration, which are influenced by factors like soil disturbance, temperature, moisture, and nutrient availability. Land management practices that increase carbon inputs or reduce carbon losses can promote soil carbon sequestration: 1. Increasing carbon inputs: Practices such as conservation tillage, cover cropping, crop rotation, agroforestry, and organic farming increase the amount of organic matter added to the soil. This organic matter serves as a food source for soil microorganisms, promoting their activity and leading to the formation of stable soil organic carbon. 2. Reducing carbon losses: Minimizing soil disturbance through reduced tillage or no-till practices helps preserve soil structure and organic matter, reducing the rate of decomposition and carbon loss. Additionally, practices such as mulching, crop residue management, and maintaining vegetative cover help protect the soil surface, reducing erosion and the loss of organic matter. By implementing these land management practices, farmers and land managers can enhance soil carbon sequestration, which not only mitigates climate change by removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere but also improves soil fertility, water retention, and resilience to drought and extreme weather events. Soil carbon sequestration thus represents a valuable nature-based solution for both climate change mitigation and agricultural sustainability (C2ES). Credit to: Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change Photo by: Climate Interactive https://lnkd.in/gTcszBZS All images are copyright of their respective holders. #climatechange #sustainability #earth #nature #renewablenergy #renewables #renewableresource #renewablepower #decarbonization #cleanenergy #Soilcarbonsequestration

As a new year fast approaches, it is a good time to reflect on the year that was. Scion's recently-released Annual Report 2023 provides a glimpse into the varied and innovative initiatives undertaken at Scion over the year ending 30 June 2023. With #partnership and #collaboration with industry, iwi and government, these stories underscore the influence of our technologically advanced and #sustainable solutions that are driving growth in the #forestry, forest product and biobased sectors. Forests are fundamental to our vision to transition New Zealand to a circular #bioeconomy - not only for their ability to sequester #carbon and meet #climatechange targets, but also as a renewable source of biomass to create low-carbon alternatives for fossil fuels, plastics, and the concrete and steel in our buildings. Delivering on this vision is fundamental to our strategy targeting New Zealand’s carbon zero goals. Research that supports industry to manage New Zealand’s exotic forests and realise the values associated with our natural environment remains our core focus. Read about the work Scion is doing in our #annualreport https://lnkd.in/dC5R6y3i

Soil Carbon is important! It can last a very, very long time. And it supports the microbiome in the soil that helps us grow food. But we’re loosing soil carbon to erosion, overgrazing, over cultivation, and increasingly to droughts and floods in the same year. Something needs to be done to prevent desertification and destruction of the precious black soils in Kazakhstan, and it starts with research so we know the extent of the problem, so we can choose sustainable land management solutions we know will work. If you’re researching soil, crop rotation, organic fertilizer, no till/conservative till, VRA, biochar, inoculants, drought and salinity resistance, SOC, or related fields in Kazakhstan, let’s collaborate on building a solution to enable a more sustainable future for Kazakh agriculture and forests. https://lnkd.in/dMTJidmZ

Do you have poor water quality and persistent algae blooms in your community lake or pond?  Excess phosphorus is often the primary cause contributing to a variety of poor water quality conditions; ultimately making our favorite recreational water spaces unfishable, unswimmable and altogether unusable. Poseidon Pellets is a state of the art technology developed with the U.S. EPA to capture phosphorus from water.  Naturally occurring mineral materials are pelletized to provide an environmentally friendly and chemical free option to tackle phosphorus pollution. (side note: why would there be any options that are not environmentally friendly?)  These pellets are designed to be very porous which limits the restriction of water flow and allows phosphorus removal to take place using the entire pellet, not just the outer surface of the pellet. Using the entire pellet increases the capacity allowing 15 lbs. of Poseidon Pellets to remove 1 lb. of phosphate. When the pellets reach nutrient capacity they can be used as a soil amendment, returning the phosphorus to the land. This innovative product is versatile and is currently used in various applications including wastewater, stormwater, lake and pond management, agricultural runoff, aquaculture and septic systems. Innovative technology is the only way to get ahead of the problem of algae blooms, which the U.S. EPA calls one of the most costly and widespread environmental problems.  Our Poseidon Pellets are used in a simple process that is chemical free and environmentally friendly — how water should be treated. When the pellets reach capacity they can be used as a soil amendment, returning the phosphorus back to the land.  Water is our life. Give us a call. #waterislife 📞 859-629-2236 #phosphorus #water #forloveofwater