From Potential to Implementation: an innovation framework to realize the benefits of soil carbon

This chapter addresses the mismatch between existing knowledge, techniques and management methods for improved soil carbon management and deficits in its implementation. The paper gives a short overview of the evolution of the concept of soil carbon, which illustrates the interactions between scientific, industrial, technical, societal and economic change. It then goes on to show that sufficient techniques are available for the large-scale implementation of soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration. A subsequent analysis of the bottlenecks that prevent implementation identifies where issues need to be addressed in order to enable robust, integrated and sustainable SOC management strategies.

Managing soil carbon for multiple ecosystem benefits positive exemplars: Latin America (Brazil and Argentina)

Agriculture provides food, fibre and energy, which have been the foundation for the development of all societies. Soil carbon plays an important role in providing essential ecosystem services. Historically, these have been viewed in terms of plant nutrient availability only, with agricultural management being driven to obtain maximum benefits of this soil function. However, recently, agricultural systems have been envisioned to provide a more complete set of ecosystem services, in a win-win situation, in addition to the products normally associated with agriculture. The expansion and growth of agricultural production in Brazil and Argentina brought about a significant loss of soil carbon stocks, and consequently the associated ecosystem services, such as flooding and erosion control, water filtration and storage. There are several examples of soil carbon management for multiple benefits in Brazil and Argentina, with new soil management techniques attempting to reverse this trend by increasing soil carbon (C) stocks. One example is zero tillage, which has the advantage of reducing CO2 emissions from the soil and thus preserving or augmenting C stocks. Crop rotations that include cover crops have been shown to sequester significant amounts of C, both in Brazilian subtropical regions as well as in the Argentinean Pampas. Associated benefits of zero tillage and cover crop rotations include flood and erosion control and improved water filtration and storage. Another positive example is the adoption of no-burning harvest in the vast sugarcane area in Brazil, which also contributes to reduced CO2 emissions, leaving crop residues on the soil surface and thus helping the conservation of essential plant nutrients and improving water storage.

Spatial assessment of carbon stocks of living vegetation at the national level in Lao PDR

The international mechanism for Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) supposedly offers new opportunities for combining climate mitigation, conservation of the environment, and socio-economic development for development countries. In Laos REDD is abundantly promoted by the government and development agencies as a potential option for rural development. Yet, basic information for carbon management is missing: to date no knowledge is available at the national level on the quantities of carbon stored in the Lao landscapes. In this study we present an approach for spatial assessment of vegetation-based carbon stocks. We used Google Earth, Landsat and MODIS satellite imagery and refined the official national land cover data to assess carbon stocks. Our study showed that more than half (52%) of carbon stock of Laos is stored in natural forests, but that 70% of this stock is located outside of national protected areas. On the basis of two carbon-centered land use scenarios we calculated that between 30 and 40 million tons of carbon could be accumulated in shifting cultivation areas; this is less than 3% of the existing total stock. Our study suggests that the main focus of REDD in Laos should be on the conservation of existing carbon stocks, giving highest priority to the prevention of deforestation outside of national protected areas.

The Impact of Whaling on the Ocean Carbon Cycle: Why Bigger Was Better

Background: Humans have reduced the abundance of many large marine vertebrates, including whales, large fish, and sharks, to only a small percentage of their pre-exploitation levels. Industrial fishing and whaling also tended to preferentially harvest the largest species and largest individuals within a population. We consider the consequences of removing these animals on the ocean's ability to store carbon. Methodology/Principal Findings: Because body size is critical to our arguments, our analysis focuses on populations of baleen whales. Using reconstructions of pre-whaling and modern abundances, we consider the impact of whaling on the amount of carbon stored in living whales and on the amount of carbon exported to the deep sea by sinking whale carcasses. Populations of large baleen whales now store 9.1 x 10(6) tons less carbon than before whaling. Some of the lost storage has been offset by increases in smaller competitors; however, due to the relative metabolic efficiency of larger organisms, a shift toward smaller animals could decrease the total community biomass by 30% or more. Because of their large size and few predators, whales and other large marine vertebrates can efficiently export carbon from the surface waters to the deep sea. We estimate that rebuilding whale populations would remove 1.6 x 10(5) tons of carbon each year through sinking whale carcasses. Conclusions/Significance: Even though fish and whales are only a small portion of the ocean's overall biomass, fishing and whaling have altered the ocean's ability to store and sequester carbon. Although these changes are small relative to the total ocean carbon sink, rebuilding populations of fish and whales would be comparable to other carbon management schemes, including ocean iron fertilization.

Managing Soil Organic Carbon: A Farm Perspective

Farming practices that lead to declining returns and inputs of carbon to soils pose a threat to key soil functions. The EU FP 7 interdisciplinary project Smart SOIL is using scientific testing and modeling to identify management practices that can optimize soil carbon storage and crop productivity. A consultation with advisors and policymakers in six European case study regions seeks to identify barriers to, and incentives for, uptake of such practices. Results from preliminary interviews are reported. Overall advisor and farmer awareness of management practices specifically directed towards soil carbon. is low. Most production- related decisions are taken in the short term, but managing soil carbon needs a long- term approach. Key barriers to uptake of practices include: perceived scientifi c uncertainty about the effi cacy of practices; lack of real life ?best practice? examples to show farmers; diffi culty in demonstrating the positive effects of soil carbon management practices and economic benefi ts over a long time scale; and advisors being unable to provide suitable advice due to inadequate information or training. Most farmers are unconvinced of the economic benefi ts of practices for managing soil carbon. Incentives are therefore needed, either as subsidies or as evidence of the cost effectiveness of practices. All new measures and advice should be integrated into existing programmes to avoid a fragmented policy approach.

Challenges in vulnerability assessment of forests under climate change

Forest-management goals in the context of climate change are to reduce the adverse impact of climate change on biodiversity, ecosystem services and carbon stocks. For developing an effective adaptation strategy, knowledge on nature and sources of vulnerability of forests is necessary to conserve or enhance carbon sinks. However, assessing the vulnerability of forest ecosystems is a challenging task, as the mechanisms that determine vulnerability cannot be observed directly. In this article, we list the challenges in forest vulnerability assessments and propose an assessment of inherent vulnerability by using process-based indicators under the current climate. We also suggest periodic assessment of vulnerability, which is necessary to review adaptation strategies for the management of forests and forest carbon stocks.

黄土丘陵区人工刺槐林土壤活性有机碳与碳库管理指数演变

土壤碳库管理指数是表征土壤碳变化的重要量化指标,研究黄土丘陵区人工刺槐林土壤活性有机碳与碳库管理指数的变化过程对认识该地区生态恢复过程中土壤质量的演变及其效果评价具有重要意义。【方法】采用时空互代法,以典型侵蚀环境纸坊沟流域生态恢复过程中不同年限的人工刺槐林为研究对象,选取坡耕地和天然侧柏林为参照,分析了植被恢复过程中土壤有机碳(TOC)、活性有机碳(LOC)、非活性有机碳(NLOC)及碳库管理指数(CPMI)的演变特征,并运用相关和回归分析方法对生态恢复过程中碳库各组分和恢复年限进行拟合。【结果】营造刺槐林可以显著增加土壤碳库各组分含量,并随恢复年限呈显著线性关系,50a时TOC、LOC、NLOC和碳库指数(CPI)分别较坡耕地增加271%、174%、467%和271%,其中NLOC增加速率略高于LOC,表明植被恢复增加的土壤碳素绝大多数以非活性形态贮存起来,而为了满足生物生长所必须的活性物质来源,土壤碳库必须维持一定的活度状态来满足碳素的动态转化平衡,碳库管理指数在营造刺槐林初期显著降低,随后先增加后降低,与刺槐林生长特性密切相关;但与天然林相比差距仍然较大,恢复50a时TOC、LOC和NLOC仅...

土地利用方式对土壤有机质及其碳库管理指数的影响

采用野外调查和室内分析的方式对子午岭不同土地利用方式下,土壤有机质、3种活性有机质及其碳库管理指数(CMI)进行了研究,结果表明,土壤有机质、3种活性土壤有机质含量均随土层的加深逐渐降低,在土壤剖面基本表现为林地、撂荒未翻耕地>撂荒翻耕地>农用地.同一土层,3种土壤活性有机质含量及其有效率表现为低活性有机质>中活性有机质>高活性有机质.不同利用方式下,活性有机质有效率随有机质活性增强,呈现撂荒未翻耕地>林地>撂荒翻耕地>农用地的趋势.不同利用方式之间的CMI的差异随有机质活性的增强而增大,且影响深度也逐渐加深.在0~30cm土层内,林地3种活性有机质的CMI高于撂荒翻耕地和农用地;而在30cm之下土层,3种利用方式低活性有机质的CMI相差不大,但中活性有机质和高活性有机质的CMI表现为林地>撂荒翻耕地>农用地.3种活性土壤有机质与其他生物化学性质之间均表现为显著或极显著相关关系,表明活性有机质可以指示土地利用方式对土壤有机质和CMI的影响.

侵蚀环境人工灌木林土壤活性有机碳与碳库管理指数演变

采用时空互代法,以黄土丘陵区纸坊沟流域生态恢复过程中不同年限的人工柠条和沙棘林为研究对象,选取坡耕地和天然侧柏林为对照,分析了植被恢复过程中土壤有机碳(TOC)、活性有机碳(LOC)、非活性有机碳(NLOC)及碳库管理指数的演变特征。结果表明,侵蚀环境下的坡耕地由于人为干扰,土壤碳库含量偏低,退耕营造柠条林可以显著增加土壤碳库各组分含量,并随恢复年限呈显著线性关系,25 a时TOC、LOC和NLOC分别较坡耕地增加271%、144%和204%,仅为侧柏林的32%、30%和29%,碳库指数和碳库管理指数较坡耕地明显增加,增幅分别达到144%和108%,仅为侧柏林的28%和43%;不同灌木林对土壤碳库管理的改善作用不同,恢复年限相同的沙棘林土壤碳库组分含量和管理指数明显高于柠条林,坡耕地营造灌木林后土壤经营和管理水平得到了显著改善,土壤系统向着良性方向转变。相关性分析表明有机碳、活性有机碳、非活性有机碳、碳库指数、碳库管理指数与土壤主要肥力因子相关性极其密切,可以作为反映生态恢复过程土壤质量演变的指标。

不同植被恢复模式对黄土丘陵区土壤碳库及其管理指数的影响

为了解侵蚀环境下植被恢复对土壤活性有机碳及碳库管理指数的影响,以典型侵蚀环境黄土丘陵区纸坊沟流域生态恢复30 a植被长期定位试验点为研究对象,选取坡耕地为参照,分析植被恢复过程中土壤碳库各组分和碳库管理指数的演变特征。结果表明,侵蚀环境下植被恢复后土壤碳库各组分含量都得到显著改善,有机碳、活性有机碳和非活性有机碳含量增幅分别为109%~238%,194%~212%和65%~149%,增加速度非活性有机碳>有机碳>活性有机碳。碳库指数和碳库管理指数较坡耕地明显增加,增幅分别为15%~659%和6.5%~414%,说明土壤经营和管理水平较坡耕地得到了显著改善,土壤系统向着良性方向转变。相关性分析表明有机碳、活性有机碳、非活性有机碳、碳库指数、碳库管理指数与土壤主要肥力因子相关性及其密切,可以作为反映生态恢复过程土壤质量演变的指标。不同植被恢复措施可以显著改善土壤碳库含量,增加土壤碳库管理水平,但改善作用不同,总体来说混交林的效果最好,其次为纯林,最后为荒草地,因此在该地区要通过人工促进生态恢复,应以营造混交林为主,纯林为辅的恢复模式。

Climate change policy and business climate strategies: EU cement companies' response to climate change and barriers against action

The paper provides a descriptive analysis of the carbon management activities of the cement industry in Europe based on a study involving the four largest producers of cement in the world. Based on this analysis, the paper explores the relationship between managerial perception and strategy with particular focus on the impact of government regulation and competitive dynamics. The research is based on extensive documentary analysis and in-depth interviews with senior managers from the four companies who have been responsible for and/or involved in the development of climate change strategies. We find that whilst the cement industry has embraced climate change and the need for action, their remains much scope for action in their carbon management activities with current effort concentration on hedging practices and win-win efficiency programs. Managers perceive that inadequate and unfavourable regulatory structure is the key barrier against more action to achieve emission reduction within the industry. EU Cement companies are also shifting their CO2 emissions to less developed countries of the South.

Gerenciamento de contingências climáticas: do monitoramento de riscos aos benefícios oriundos pela adoção de práticas de baixo carbono

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

The human side of social technology for climate change mitigation and human development: the case of "efficient stoves" in Brazil

Carbon management has gradually gained attention within the overall environmental management and corporate social responsibility agendas. The clean development mechanism, from Kyoto Protocol, was envisioned as connecting carbon market and sustainable development objectives in developing countries. Previous research has shown that this potential is rarely being achieved. The paper explores how the incorporation of the human side into carbon management reinforces its contribution to generate human development in local communities and to improve the company's image. A case study of a Brazilian company is presented, with the results of the application of an analytical model that incorporates the human side and human development. The selected project is an "efficient stoves" programme. "Efficient stoves" are recognised in Brazil as social technologies. Results suggest that the fact that social technologies value the human side of the technology plays a key role when it comes to analysing the co-benefits of the project implementation.

MAGGnet: an international network to foster mitigation of agricultural greenhouse gases.

Research networks provide a framework for review, synthesis and systematic testing of theories by multiple scientists across international borders critical for addressing global-scale issues. In 2012, a GHG research network referred to as MAGGnet (Managing Agricultural Greenhouse Gases Network) was established within the Croplands Research Group of the Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases (GRA). With involvement from 46 alliance member countries, MAGGnet seeks to provide a platform for the inventory and analysis of agricultural GHG mitigation research throughout the world. To date, metadata from 315 experimental studies in 20 countries have been compiled using a standardized spreadsheet. Most studies were completed (74%) and conducted within a 1-3-year duration (68%). Soil carbon and nitrous oxide emissions were measured in over 80% of the studies. Among plant variables, grain yield was assessed across studies most frequently (56%), followed by stover (35%) and root (9%) biomass. MAGGnet has contributed to modeling efforts and has spurred other research groups in the GRA to collect experimental site metadata using an adapted spreadsheet. With continued growth and investment, MAGGnet will leverage limited-resource investments by any one country to produce an inclusive, globally shared meta-database focused on the science of GHG mitigation.