Carbon Sequestration in Agricultural Soils

This book examines the effects of new soil management methods and their potentials for practical application in farm management. The book from a four-year research project, conducted at university research stations in Turin, Piacenza, Naples and Potenza.

This compilation of techniques, methodologies and scientific data arises from a four-year Italian research project, which took place at university research stations in Turin, Piacenza, Naples and Potenza. Soil Organic Matter (SOM) represents an active and essential pool of the total organic carbon on the planet. Consequently, even small changes in this SOM carbon pool may have a significant impact on the concentration of atmospheric CO 2 . Recent new understanding of the chemical nature of SOM indicates that innovative and sustainable technologies may be applied to sequester carbon in agricultural soils. Overall results of the project have been applied to develop an innovative model for the prediction and description, both quantitatively and qualitatively, of carbon sequestration in agricultural soils. This book provides experts in different areas of soil science with a complete picture of the effects of new soil management methods and their potentials for practicalapplication in farm management.

An exploration of an area hardly pursued because of limited understanding of the cycle of organic carbon in soils A report of the techniques and methodologies used by the research groups during the four-year national Italian project (FISR-MESCOSAGR) The results have been applied to develop an innovative model to predict and describe, both quantitatively and qualitatively, sequestered organic carbon compounds in the treated soils Includes supplementary material: sn.pub/extras

Inhalt
The nature of Soil Organic Matter and innovative soil managements to fight global changes and maintain agricultural productivity.- The Kyoto protocol and European and Italian regulations in Agriculture.- Field plots and crop yields under innovative methods of carbon sequestration in soil.- Carbon sequestration in soils by hydrophobic protection and in-situ catalyzed photo-polymerization of soil organic matter (SOM). Chemical and physical-chemical aspects of SOM in field plots.- The stable isotopes approach to study C and N sequestration processes in a plantsoil system.- Impact of innovative agricultural practices of carbon sequestration on soil microbial community.- Effects of methods of carbon sequestration in soil on biochemical indicators of soil quality.- Biological and biotechnological evaluation of Carbon dynamics in field experiments.- Measurements of CO2 and N2O emissions in the agricultural field experiments of the ESCOSAGR project.- Effects of carbon sequestration methods on soil respiration and root systems in microcosm experiments and in vitro studies.- New modelling approach to describe and predict carbon sequestration dynamics in agricultural soils.Field plots and crop yields under innovative methods of carbon sequestration in soil.- Carbon sequestration in soils by hydrophobic protection and in-situ catalyzed photo-polymerization of soil organic matter (SOM). Chemical and physical-chemical aspects of SOM in field plots.- The stable isotopes approach to study C and N sequestration processes in a plantsoil system.- Impact of innovative agricultural practices of carbon sequestration on soil microbial community.- Effects of methods of carbon sequestration in soil on biochemical indicators of soil quality.- Biological and biotechnological evaluation of Carbon dynamics in field experiments.- Measurements of CO2 and N2O emissions in the agricultural field experiments of the ESCOSAGR project.- Effects of carbon sequestration methods on soil respiration and root systems in microcosm experiments and in vitro studies.- New modelling approach to describe and predict carbon sequestration dynamics in agricultural soils.Field plots and crop yields under innovative methods of carbon sequestration in soil.- Carbon sequestration in soils by hydrophobic protection and in-situ catalyzed photo-polymerization of soil organic matter (SOM). Chemical and physical-chemical aspects of SOM in field plots.- The stable isotopes approach to study C and N sequestration processes in a plantsoil system.- Impact of innovative agricultural practices of carbon sequestration on soil microbial community.- Effects of methods of carbon sequestration in soil on biochemical indicators of soil quality.- Biological and biotechnological evaluation of Carbon dynamics in field experiments.- Measurements of CO2 and N2O emissions in the agricultural field experiments of the ESCOSAGR project.- Effects of carbon sequestration methods on soil respiration and root systems in microcosm experiments and in vitro studies.- New modelling approach to describe and predict carbon sequestration dynamics in agricultural soils.