The potential of world cropland soils to sequester C and mitigate the greenhouse effect

Soil emission of CO₂ is closely linked to soil degradation, decrease in soil organic carbon (SOC) content and decline in soil quality. Enhancing soil quality through adoption of best management practices (BMPs) and soil restoration can increase SOC content and soil productivity, and partially mitigate the greenhouse effect. The C sequestration potential through judicious management of world cropland includes 0.08–0.12 Pg/yr by erosion control, 0.02–0.03 Pg/yr by restoration of severely degraded soils, 0.02–0.04 Pg/yr by reclamation of salt-affected soils, 0.15–0.175 Pg/yr by adoption of conservation tillage and crop residue management, 0.18–0.24 Pg/yr by adoption of improved cropping system and 0.30–0.40 Pg/yr as C offset through biofuel production. The total C sequestration potential of the world cropland is about 0.75–1.0 Pg/yr or about 50% of annual emission of 1.6–1.8 Pg by deforestation and other agricultural activities. This finite soil-C sink could be filled over a 20 to 50-year period, during which energy related emission reductions gradually take effect at global scale. Improving soil quality is a win–win strategy, while increasing productivity it also improves environment and partially mitigates the greenhouse effect. Intensification of farming and increasing biomass production can lead to increased sequestration of C in soils, and to partly meet commitments under the Kyoto Protocol at national and global scales. Global reduction in C emission may have to be substantial if the atmospheric concentration of CO₂ is to be stabilized at 550 ppmv. However, realization of this potential would require developing channels of communication between scientists and land managers and policy makers, and providing economic incentives.     

Bio-char Sequestration in Terrestrial Ecosystems – A Review

The application of bio-char (charcoal or biomass-derived black carbon (C)) to soil is proposed as a novel approach to establish a significant, long-term, sink for atmospheric carbon dioxide in terrestrial ecosystems. Apart from positive effects in both reducing emissions and increasing the sequestration of greenhouse gases, the production of bio-char and its application to soil will deliver immediate benefits through improved soil fertility and increased crop production. Conversion of biomass C to bio-char C leads to sequestration of about 50% of the initial C compared to the low amounts retained after burning (3%) and biological decomposition (< 10–20% after 5–10 years), therefore yielding more stable soil C than burning or direct land application of biomass. This efficiency of C conversion of biomass to bio-char is highly dependent on the type of feedstock, but is not significantly affected by the pyrolysis temperature (within 350–500 ^∘C common for pyrolysis). Existing slash-and-burn systems cause significant degradation of soil and release of greenhouse gases and opportunies may exist to enhance this system by conversion to slash-and-char systems. Our global analysis revealed that up to 12% of the total anthropogenic C emissions by land use change (0.21 Pg C) can be off-set annually in soil, if slash-and-burn is replaced by slash-and-char. Agricultural and forestry wastes such as forest residues, mill residues, field crop residues, or urban wastes add a conservatively estimated 0.16 Pg C yr⁻¹. Biofuel production using modern biomass can produce a bio-char by-product through pyrolysis which results in 30.6 kg C sequestration for each GJ of energy produced. Using published projections of the use of renewable fuels in the year 2100, bio-char sequestration could amount to 5.5–9.5 Pg C yr⁻¹ if this demand for energy was met through pyrolysis, which would exceed current emissions from fossil fuels (5.4 Pg C yr⁻¹). Bio-char soil management systems can deliver tradable C emissions reduction, and C sequestered is easily accountable, and verifiable.     

Carbon mitigation potential and costs of forestry options in Brazil,China, India,Indonesia, Mexico,the Philippines and Tanzania

This paper summarizes studies of carbon (C) mitigation potential and costs of about 40 forestry options in seven developing countries. Each study uses the same methodological approach – Comprehensive Mitigation Assessment Process (COMAP) – to estimate the above parameters between 2000 and 2030. The approach requires the projection of baseline and mitigation land-use scenarios. Coupled with data on a per ha basis on C sequestration or avoidance, and costs and benefits, it allows the estimation of monetary benefit per Mg C, and the total costs and carbon potential. The results show that about half (3.0 Pg C) the cumulative mitigation potential of 6.2 Petagram (Pg) C between 2000 and 2030 in the seven countries (about 200× 10⁶ Mg C yr^-1) could be achieved at a negative cost and the remainder at costs ranging up to $100 Mg C^-1. About 5 Pg C could be achieved, at a cost less than $20 per Mg C. Negative cost potential indicates that non-carbon revenue is sufficient to offset direct costs of these options. The achievable potential is likely to be smaller, however, due to market, institutional, and sociocultural barriers that can delay or prevent the implementation of the analyzed options.     

Assessing the potential for greenhouse gas mitigation in intensively managed annual cropping systems at the regional scale

We predicted changes in yields and direct net soil greenhouse gas (GHG) fluxes from converting conventional to alternative management practices across one of the world's most productive agricultural regions, the Central Valley of California, using the DAYCENT model. Alternative practices included conservation tillage, winter cover cropping, manure application, a 25% reduction in N fertilizer input and combinations of these. Alternative practices were evaluated for all unique combinations of crop rotation, climate, and soil types for the period 1997-2006. The crops included were alfalfa, corn, cotton, melon, safflower, sunflower, tomato, and wheat. Our predictions indicate that, adopting alternative management practices would decrease yields up to 5%. Changes in modeled SOC and net soil GHG fluxes corresponded to values reported in the literature. Average potential reductions of net soil GHG fluxes with alternative practices ranged from −0.7 to −3.3 Mg CO₂-eq ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ in the Sacramento Valley and −0.5 to −2.5 Mg CO₂-eq ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ for the San Joaquin Valley. While adopting a single alternative practice led to modest net soil GHG flux reductions (on average −1 Mg CO₂-eq ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹), combining two or more of these practices led to greater decreases in net soil GHG fluxes of up to −3 Mg CO₂-eq ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹. At the regional scale, the combination of winter cover cropping with manure application was particularly efficient in reducing GHG emissions. However, GHG mitigation potentials were mostly non-permanent because 60-80% of the decreases in net soil GHG fluxes were attributed to increases in SOC, except for the reduced fertilizer input practice, where reductions were mainly attributed to decreased N₂O emissions. In conclusion, there are long-term GHG mitigation potentials within agriculture, but spatial and temporal aggregation will be necessary to reduce uncertainties around GHG emission reductions and the delivery risk of the associated C credits.     

Forestry Mitigation Options for Mexico: Finding Synergies between National Sustainable Development Priorities and Global Concerns

We examine carbon (C) reference and mitigation scenarios for the Mexicanforest sector between the year 2000 and 2030. Estimates are presentedseparately for the period 2008–2012.Future C emissions and capture are estimated using a simulation modelthat: a) allocates the country land use/land cover classes among differentfuture uses and categories using demand-based scenarios for forestryproducts; b) estimates the total C densities associated to each land usecategory, and c) determines the net carbon implications of the process ofland use/cover change according to the different scenarios.The options analyzed include both afforestation/reforestation, such ascommercial, bionenergy and restoration plantations, and agroforestrysystems, and forest conservation, through the sustainable management ofnative forests and forest protection.The total mitigation potential, estimated as the difference between the totallong-term carbon stock in the reference and the mitigation scenario reaches300 × 10⁶ Mg C in the year 2012 and increases to 1,382 × 10⁶ Mg C in 2030. The average net sequestration in the 30 year period is 46 × 10⁶ Mg C yr^-1, or 12.5 × 10⁶ Mg C yr^-1 within the period 2008 to 2012. The costs of selected mitigation options range from 0.7–3.5 Mg C^-1 to 35 Mg C^-1. Some options are cost effective.     

Carbon budget of the Canadian forest product sector

Although many factors influencing the forest C cycle are beyond direct human control, decisions made in forestry and the forest product sector (FPS) can either mitigate or aggravate the net C balance of terrestrial ecosystems. The Canadian Budget Model of the Forest Product Sector (CBM-FPS) described here, was designed to work with a national scale model of forest ecosystem dynamics (the Carbon Budget Model of the Canadian Forest Sector, CBM-CFS). The CBM-FPS accounts for harvested forest biomass C from the time that it enters the manufacturing process until it is released into the atmosphere. It also accounts for the use and production of energy by the FPS, and emission of CO₂ during FPS processing. The CBM-FPS accounting framework uses the characteristics of different forest product types to estimate changes in the storage of C in forest products; it tracks C from the transportation of the harvested raw material through various processing steps in sawmills or pulp mills, to its final destination (product, pulp, landfill, atmosphere or recycled). Because not all harvested biomass C is released into the atmosphere in the year it is harvested, the model tracks C retained in various short- and long-lived products, and in landfills. Model results are in general agreement with available data from 1920–1989. Average changes in net C stocks in the FPS, estimated as the difference between harvest C input to the FPS and total losses from the forest product sector is estimated to be 23.5 Tg C yr⁻¹ for the 1985–1989 period. The total FPS pool size at the end of this period is estimated to be 837 Tg C, of which only a fraction (32%) is retained in Canada. The total FPS C stock is small compared to that in the forest ecosystems from which they derive (estimated to contain 86 Pg C in 1989). Nevertheless, the changes in these C stocks contribute significantly to a reduction of the total net atmospheric exchange of the total forest sector (ecosystem and product sector) for that period.     

Soil Carbon in the Forests of Russia

The 50% variation in the estimates of carbon (C) content in the forest soils of Russia at present is caused by confusion of terms and ignorance of the soil geographical representativeness in forests. The GIS-based analysis closes the gap to the estimate published earlier by Alexeyev and Birdsey (1994, p. 170). The average soil carbon density (SCD) for the 0.3 meter (m) layer of the forest soils in Russia is about 8.1 kg C m⁻²; the 1 m layer captures some 11.4 kg C m⁻²; and the 2 m layer holds nearly 12.3 kg C m^{− 2}. The mass of C is about 61.6 Pg C concentrated in the 0.3 m layer of forest soils; the 1 m layer accumulates 87.6 Pg C and the 2 m layer holds about 94.1 Pg C. The C content in soils of the forest zone is much higher for Russia. The SCD is 18.8 kg C m^{− 2} and the soil C pool (SCP) is 223.6 Pg C in 1 m layer. Peat soils contribute a considerable portion of C to the forest zone of the country. The cold climate, permafrost and vegetation residues that are rich in recalcitrant compounds support a high accumulation rate of organic matter and associated nutrients in soils. This conservation is a mechanism to keep the production potential of the boreal ecosystems high in spite of their relatively low actual productivity in present environments.     

Forestry for sustainable biomass production and carbon sequesteration in India

A sustainable forestry scenario aimed at meeting the projected biomassdemands, halting deforestation and regenerating degraded forests wasdeveloped and analyzed for additionality of mitigation and cost-effectivenessfor India. Similarly, mitigation potential of a commercial forestry scenarioaimed at meeting the biomass demands from forestry activities on privateland was assessed. India has a significant scale baseline scenario afforestationand effective forest conservation activities. India is afforesting at an averagegross rate of 1.55 × 10⁶ ha yr^-1 over the past 10 years, while the gross deforestation rate was 0.272 × 10⁶ ha yr^-1 during the same period. The sustainable forestry scenario could lead to an additional carbon (C) stock of 237 × 10⁶ Mg C during 2000 to 2012, while the commercial forestry scenario apart from meeting all the incremental biomass demands (estimated for 2000 to 2015) could potentially lead to an additional carbon stock of 78 × 10⁶Mg C during 2000 to 2012. Short- and Long-rotation forestry activities arecommercially viable. With appropriate policies and financial incentives allthe industrial wood, sawnwood and commercial fuelwood requirementcould be met through commercial forestry, so that government funds couldbe dedicated for conserving state owned forests and meeting subsistencebiomass demands. The commercial forestry activities could receive financialsupport under greenhouse gas (GHG) abatement programmes. The government, however, needs to develop institutions and guidelines to process, evaluate, approve and monitor forestry sector mitigation projects.     

Carbon Offset Potentials of Four Alternative Forest Management Strategies in Canada: A Simulation Study

Using an Integrated TerrestrialEcosystem C-budget model (InTEC), we simulated thecarbon (C) offset potentials of four alternativeforest management strategies in Canada: afforestation,reforestation, nitrogen (N) fertilization, andsubstitution of fossil fuel with wood, under differentclimatic and disturbance scenarios. C offset potentialis defined as additional C uptake by forest ecosystemsor reduced fossil C emissions when a strategy isimplemented to the theoretical maximum possibleextent. The simulations provided the followingestimated gains from management: (1) Afforesting allthe estimated 7.2 Mha of marginal agricultural landand urban areas in 1999 would create an average Coffset potential of 8 Tg C y^-1 during 1999–2100,at a cost of 3.4 Tg fossil C emission in 1999. (2)Prompt reforestation of all forest lands disturbed inthe previous year during 1999–2100 would produce anaverage C offset potential of 57 Tg C y^-1 forthis period, at a cost of 1.33 Tg C y^-1. (3)Application of N fertilization (at the low rate of 5kg N ha^-1 y^-1) to the 125 Mha ofsemi-mature forest during 1999–2100 would create anaverage C offset of 58 Tg C y^-1 for this period,at a cost of 0.24 Tg C y^-1. (4) Increasingforest harvesting by 20% above current average ratesduring 1999–2100, and using the extra wood products tosubstitute for fossil energy would reduce averageemissions by 11 Tg C y^-1, at a cost of 0.54 TgC y^-1. If implemented to the maximum extent, thecombined C offset potential of all four strategieswould be 2–7 times the GHG emission reductionsprojected for the National Action Plan for ClimateChange (NAPCC) initiatives during 2000–2020, and anorder of magnitude larger than the projected increasein C uptake by Canada's agricultural soils due toimproved agricultural practices during 2000–2010.     

Estimating net primary production and annual plant carbon inputs, and modelling future changes in soil carbon stocks in arable farmlands of northern Japan

Soil C sequestration in croplands is deemed to be one of the most promising greenhouse gas mitigation options for Japan's agriculture. In this context, changes in soil C stocks in northern Japan's arable farming area over the period of 1971-2010, specifically in the region's typical Andosol (volcanic ash-derived) and non-Andosol soils, were simulated using soil-type-specific versions of the Rothamsted carbon model (RothC). The models were then used to predict the effects, over the period of 2011-2050, of three potential management scenarios: (i) baseline: maintenance of present crop residue returns and green manure crops, as well as composted cattle manure C inputs (24-34 Mg ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ applied on 3-55% of arable land according to crop), (ii) cattle manure: all arable fields receive 20 Mg ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ of composted cattle manure, increased C inputs from crop residues and present C inputs from green manure are assumed, and (iii) minimum input: all above-ground crop residues removed, no green manure crop, no cattle manure applied. Above- and below-ground residue biomass C inputs contributed by 8 major crops, and oats employed as a green manure crop, were drawn from yield statistics recorded at the township level and crop-specific allometric relationships (e.g. ratio of above-ground residue biomass to harvested biomass on a dry weight basis). Estimated crop net primary production (NPP) ranged from 1.60 Mg C ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ for adzuki bean to 8.75 Mg C ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ for silage corn. For the whole region (143 × 10³ ha), overall NPP was estimated at 952 ± 60 Gg C yr⁻¹ (6.66 ± 0.42 Mg C ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹). Plant C inputs to the soil also varied widely amongst the crops, ranging from 0.50 Mg C ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ for potato to 3.26 Mg C ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ for winter wheat. Annual plant C inputs to the soil were estimated at 360 ± 45 Gg C yr⁻¹ (2.52 ± 0.32 Mg C ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹), representing 38% of the cropland NPP. The RothC simulations suggest that the region's soil C stock (0-30 cm horizon), across all soils, has decreased from 13.96 Tg C (107.5 Mg C ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹) in 1970 to 12.46 Tg C (96.0 Mg C ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹) in 2010. For the baseline, cattle manure and minimum input scenarios, soil C stocks of 12.13, 13.27 and 9.82 Tg C, respectively, were projected for 2050. Over the period of 2011-2050, compared to the baseline scenario, soil C was sequestered (+0.219 Mg C ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹) by enhanced cattle manure application, but was lost (−0.445 Mg C ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹) under the minimum input scenario. The effect of variations of input data (monthly mean temperature, monthly precipitation, plant C inputs and cattle manure C inputs) on the uncertainty of model outputs for each scenario was assessed using a Monte Carlo approach. Taking into account the uncertainty (standard deviation as % of the mean) for the model's outputs for 2050 (5.1-6.1%), it is clear that the minimum input scenario would lead to a rapid decrease in soil C stocks for arable farmlands in northern Japan.     

Carbon Management in Agricultural Soils

World soils have been a major source of enrichment of atmospheric concentration of CO₂ ever since the dawn of settled agriculture, about 10,000 years ago. Historic emission of soil C is estimated at 78 ± 12 Pg out of the total terrestrial emission of 136 ± 55 Pg, and post-industrial fossil fuel emission of 270 ± 30 Pg. Most soils in agricultural ecosystems have lost 50 to 75% of their antecedent soil C pool, with the magnitude of loss ranging from 30 to 60 Mg C/ha. The depletion of soil organic carbon (SOC) pool is exacerbated by soil drainage, plowing, removal of crop residue, biomass burning, subsistence or low-input agriculture, and soil degradation by erosion and other processes. The magnitude of soil C depletion is high in coarse-textured soils (e.g., sandy texture, excessive internal drainage, low activity clays and poor aggregation), prone to soil erosion and other degradative processes. Thus, most agricultural soils contain soil C pool below their ecological potential. Adoption of recommend management practices (e.g., no-till farming with crop residue mulch, incorporation of forages in the rotation cycle, maintaining a positive nutrient balance, use of manure and other biosolids), conversion of agriculturally marginal soils to a perennial land use, and restoration of degraded soils and wetlands can enhance the SOC pool. Cultivation of peatlands and harvesting of peatland moss must be strongly discouraged, and restoration of degraded soils and ecosystems encouraged especially in developing countries. The rate of SOC sequestration is 300 to 500 Kg C/ha/yr under intensive agricultural practices, and 0.8 to 1.0 Mg/ha/yr through restoration of wetlands. In soils with severe depletion of SOC pool, the rate of SOC sequestration with adoption of restorative measures which add a considerable amount of biomass to the soil, and irrigated farming may be 1.0 to 1.5 Mg/ha/yr. Principal mechanisms of soil C sequestration include aggregation, high humification rate of biosolids applied to soil, deep transfer into the sub-soil horizons, formation of secondary carbonates and leaching of bicarbonates into the ground water. The rate of formation of secondary carbonates may be 10 to 15 Kg/ha/yr, and the rate of leaching of bicarbonates with good quality irrigation water may be 0.25 to 1.0 Mg C/ha/yr. The global potential of soil C sequestration is 0.6 to 1.2 Pg C/yr which can off-set about 15% of the fossil fuel emissions.     

Organic carbon stock in topsoil of Jiangsu Province, China, and the recent trend of carbon sequestration

Data collection of soil organic carbon(SOC) of 154 soil series of Jiangsu, China from the second provincial soil survey and of recent changes in SOC from a number of field pilot experiments across the province were collected. Statistical analysis of SOC contents and soil properties related to organic carbon storage were performed. The provincial total topsoil SOC stock was estimated to be O. 1 Pg with an extended pool of 0.4 Pg taking soil depth of 1 m, being relatively small compared to its total land area of lOl?00 km^2. One quarter of this topsoil stock was found in the soils of the Taihu Lake region that occupied 1/6 of the provincial arable area. Paddy soils accounted for over 50% of this stock in terms of SOC distribution among the soil types in the province. Experimental data from experimental farms widely distributed in the province showed that SOC storage increased consistently over the last 20 years despite a previously reported decreasing tendency during the period between 1950--1970. The evidence indicated that agricultural management practices such as irrigation, straw return and rotation of upland crops with rice or wheat crops contributed significantly to the increase in SOC storage. The annual carbon sequestration rate in the soils was in the range of 0.3-3.5 tC/(hm^2. a), depending on cropping systems and other agricultural practices. Thus, the agricultural production in the province, despite the high input, could serve as one of the practical methods to mitigate the increasing air CO2.     

Managing the nitrogen cycle to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from crop production and biofuel expansion

Public policies are promoting biofuels as an alternative to fossil fuel consumption in order to mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. However, the mitigation benefit can be at least partially compromised by emissions occurring during feedstock production. One of the key sources of GHG emissions from biofuel feedstock production, as well as conventional crops, is soil nitrous oxide (N₂O), which is largely driven by nitrogen (N) management. Our objective was to determine how much GHG emissions could be reduced by encouraging alternative N management practices through application of nitrification inhibitors and a cap on N fertilization. We used the US Renewable Fuel Standards (RFS2) as the basis for a case study to evaluate technical and economic drivers influencing the N management mitigation strategies. We estimated soil N₂O emissions using the DayCent ecosystem model and applied the US Forest and Agricultural Sector Optimization Model with Greenhouse Gases (FASOMGHG) to project GHG emissions for the agricultural sector, as influenced by biofuel scenarios and N management options. Relative to the current RSF2 policy with no N management interventions, results show decreases in N₂O emissions ranging from 3 to 4 % for the agricultural sector (5.5–6.5 million metric tonnes CO₂?eq.?year^?1; 1 million metric tonnes is equivalent to a Teragram) in response to a cap that reduces N fertilizer application and even larger reductions with application of nitrification inhibitors, ranging from 9 to 10 % (15.5–16.6 million tonnes CO₂?eq.?year^?1). The results demonstrate that climate and energy policies promoting biofuel production could consider options to manage the N cycle with alternative fertilization practices for the agricultural sector and likely enhance the mitigation of GHG emissions associated with biofuels.     

Potential of Co2 emission reductions by carbonizing biomass waste from industrial tree plantation in South Sumatra,Indonesia

Approximately half of the carbon in trees can be fixed to charcoal by carbonization. Porous charcoal is useful as a soil amendment for crop fields and forests, and also as a water purifying agent. Given these facts, charcoal production should be recognized as one of the most promising CO₂ sequestration methods. A project on biomass utilization and forest conservation is proposed as a Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) project, by incorporating the carbonization of biomass residue and waste from tree plantations and pulp mills, and also the utilization of carbon products in various fields. A feasibility study was conducted with the existing project of an industrial tree plantation and pulp production in Indonesia. If conventional charcoal-making methods are used, a total of 368,000 t yr^-1 of biomass residue and waste could be transformed into charcoal of77,000 t yr^-1, and the carbon emission reductions by the project reaches 62,000t-C yr^-1 (or 230,000 t-CO₂yr^-1) in consideration of the project baseline. This charcoal project could provide jobs for approximately 2,600people. The soil fertility in man-made forests could be maintained by returning charcoal to the original forests. Therefore, the project would be beneficial to the regional economy. In addition, the present charcoal project is expected to give more positive impacts than negative ones, or leakage, beyond the project boundary. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> Mitigation and Renewable Oil from Photosynthetic Microbes: A New Appraisal

The only major strategy now being seriously considered for biological mitigation of atmospheric CO₂ relies entirely on terrestrial plants. Photosynthetic microbes were the focus of similar consideration in the 1990s. However, two major government-sponsored research programs in Japan and the USA concluded that the requisite technology was not feasible, and those programs were terminated after investing US$117 million and US$25 million, respectively. We report here on the results of a privately funded US$20 million program that has engineered, built, and successfully operated a commercial-scale (2 ha), modular, production system for photosynthetic microbes. The production system couples photobioreactors with open ponds in a two-stage process – a combination that was suggested, but never attempted – and has operated continuously for several years to produce Haematococcus pluvialis. The annually averaged rate of achieved microbial oil production from H. pluvialis is equivalent to <420 GJ ha ^-1 yr^-1, which exceeds the most optimistic estimates of biofuel production from plantations of terrestrial ``energy crops.' The maximum production rate achieved to date is equivalent to 1014 GJ ha^-1 yr^-1. We present evidence to demonstrate that a rate of 3200 GJ ha^-1 yr^-1 is feasible using species with known performance characteristics under conditions that prevail in the existing production system. At this rate, it is possible to replace reliance on current fossil fuel usage equivalent to ∼300 EJ yr^-1 – and eliminate fossil fuel emissions of CO₂ of ∼6.5 GtC yr^-1 – using only 7.3% of the surplus arable land projected to be available by 2050. By comparison, most projections of biofuels production from terrestrial energy crops would require in excess of 80% of surplus arable land. Oil production cost is estimated at $84/bbl, assuming no improvements in current technology. We suggest enhancements that could reduce cost to $50/bbl or less.     

Soil crust formation by dust deposition at Shaartuz,Tadzhik, S.S.R.

The shrub-steppe area near Shaartuz, Tadzhik, S.S.R., is shown to be a net accumulator of dust despite being an occasional source of dust. For the accumulation of the dust to form the observed surface crust, a net deposition of about 290–490 g m⁻² yr⁻¹ of particles smaller than 20 μm is required, depending on the duration of the deposition period. The particles smaller than 20 μm are mixed with particles brought up from the sandy material below the surface crust by bioturbation and are incorporated into the surface crust. Measurements during the 16 and 20 September 1989 dust storms provided a total deposition of 41.1 g m⁻² of particles smaller than 20 μm. Because 10–30 dust storms are observed at Shaartuz, the measured average dust storm deposition would yield 206–617 g m⁻² yr⁻¹. This range of deposition is of the order of that needed to provide a mass balance for the observed crust formation. Cryptogams (including algae, lichen, and moss) and rainwater are the main agents of incorporation of the aeolian dust into a stable soil crust. The role that the vascular plants played at the Shaartuz site was to reduce the rate of soil movement to levels where the cryptogamic crusting was possible. the observed mechanisms of dust deposition followed by crust incorporation are possibly an important processes in loess formation in Central Asia.     

中亚热带典型农业小流域氮素输出特征及监测采样频率研究

以湖南省长沙县的脱甲小流域为例,研究了中亚热带典型农业小流域中氮素输出的规律,并采用统计学方法确定合理的氮素输出监测频率.研究结果表明,该地区农业小流域氮素输出过程受降雨-径流过程和农业管理活动的影响明显,除颗粒态氮(PN)外,流域出口水体中铵态氮(NH+4-N)、硝态氮(NO-3-N)、可溶性氮(DN)和全氮(TN)的浓度均与沟渠径流量显著相关(p0.01).降雨-径流过程和农业管理活动也会影响河道水体中氮素化学形态,但其对氮素化学形态的影响往往是短期的,因为在整个观测期间内,仅NH+4-N/TN比例与径流量有显著相关关系(p0.01).对于不同形态氮素采样频率计算结果表明,水体中氮素浓度变异系数越大,在允许的误差范围内需要的监测频率越高.按照平均值误差的20%控制,NH+4-N和PN的采样频率要达到每天2次才能满足要求,采样频率显著高于NO-3-N、DN和TN(1天1次).如果将典型小流域中的氮素输出监测频率定为每天1次,NH+4-N和PN的相对误差将达到30%.该研究为阐明中亚热带农业小流域氮素输出规律和制定氮素监测策略和规范提供了样本.     

A survey of the use of IPM by New York apple producers

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) was first introduced to New York apple growers in 1975 through an Extension pilot program. Since that time, growers have become aware of the methods, results and potential benefits of following an IPM approach in their orchards. Differences in pesticide use, demography and behavior between IPM users and non-users are presented in this study. Results showed that > 80% of the apple producers in New York State (NY) incorporate some aspect of IPM into their pest control strategies. IPM users were younger and better educated and had less farm experience than non-users. Cornell Cooperative Extension was considered a primary source of written pest management and pesticide information to NY growers. However, agricultural sales persons were also considered useful by the growers for making pest management decisions. Growers that employed comprehensive IPM practices used 30% less insecticides, 47% less miticides and 10% less fungicides than growers that did not use IPM practices. This resulted in 235 kg active ingredient ha⁻¹ not having to be absorbed by the environment and saved IPM apple growers an average of US$ 95.80 ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ over an 11-year period (1976–1986) without significantly affecting fruit quality.     

Global and regional potential for bioenergy from agricultural and forestry residue biomass

As co-products, agricultural and forestry residues represent a potential low cost, low carbon, source for bioenergy. A method is developed for estimating the maximum sustainable amount of energy potentially available from agricultural and forestry residues by converting crop production statistics into associated residue, while allocating some of this resource to remain on the field to mitigate erosion and maintain soil nutrients. Currently, we estimate that the world produces residue biomass that could be sustainably harvested and converted into nearly 50 EJ yr⁻¹ of energy. The top three countries where this resource is estimated to be most abundant are currently net energy importers: China, the United States (US), and India. The global potential from residue biomass is estimated to increase to approximately 50–100 EJ yr⁻¹ by mid- to late- century, depending on physical assumptions such as of future crop yields and the amount of residue sustainably harvestable. The future market for biomass residues was simulated using the Object-Oriented Energy, Climate, and Technology Systems Mini Climate Assessment Model (O^bjECTS MiniCAM). Utilization of residue biomass as an energy source is projected for the next century under different climate policy scenarios. Total global use of residue biomass is estimated to be 20–100 EJ yr⁻¹ by mid- to late- century, depending on the presence of a climate policy and the economics of harvesting, aggregating, and transporting residue. Much of this potential is in developing regions of the world, including China, Latin America, Southeast Asia, and India.     

Potential and Cost of Carbon Sequestration in the Tanzanian Forest Sector

The forest sector in Tanzania offers ample opportunities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) and sequester carbon (C) in terrestrial ecosystems. More than 90% of the country's demand for primary energy is obtained from biomass mostly procured unsustainably from natural forests. This study examines the potential to sequester C through expansion of forest plantations aimed at reducing the dependence on natural forest for wood fuel production, as well as increase the country's output of industrial wood from plantations. These were compared ton conservationoptions in the tropical and miombo ecosystems. Three sequestrationoptions were analyzed, involving the establishment of short rotation and long rotation plantations on about 1.7 × 10⁶ hectares. The short rotation community forestry option has a potential to sequester an equilibrium amount of 197.4 × 10⁶ Mg C by 2024 at a net benefit of 79.5 × 10⁶, while yielding a NPV of 0.46 Mg^-1 C. The long rotation options for softwood and hardwood plantations will reach an equilibrium sequestration of 5.6 and 11.8 × 10⁶ Mg C at a negative NPV of 0.60 Mg^-1 C and 0.32 Mg^-1 C. The three options provide cost competitive opportunities for sequestering about 7.5 × 10⁶ Mg C yr^-1 while providing desired forest products and easing the pressure on the natural forests in Tanzania. The endowment costs of the sequestration options were all found to be cheaper than the emission avoidance cost for conservation options which had an average cost of 1.27 Mg^-1 C, rising to 7.5 Mg^-1 C under some assumptions on vulnerability to encroachment. The estimates shown here may represent the upper bound, because the actual potential will be influenced by market prices for inputs and forest products, land use policy constraints and the structure of global C transactions.