Changes in Organic Carbon Pool in Agricultural Soils and its Different Development in Individual Agro-Climatic Regions of Slovakia

Abstract

Soil organic carbon (SOC) is one of the basic parameters of soil productivity and quality. Generally soil has potential to sequestrate or release organic carbon depending on land use/management and climatic conditions. The main aim of this article is to show changes in SOC in agricultural land of Slovakia over almost the last 40 years on the basis of modelling data of SOC stock by the RothC model and unequal development of SOC stock on agro-climatic regions of Slovakia. The results received show that average SOC stock [t/ha] in Slovakia is higher on grasslands in comparison to arable land. However, total SOC pool (t) in top of 0.2 m of soil on the modelling area of agricultural Slovak land shows that a considerable part of SOC stock is located in arable land and is approximately four times greater than on grasslands because the arable land represents about 80% of the modelling area. In the first modelling period (1970-1994), the SOC stock gradually increased, but in the second modelling period (1995-2007) no significant changes in SOC stock on the arable land were observed. In the southwest part of Slovakia, increasing of SOC stock during all modelling periods was observed; however, in the northeast part a slight increase of SOC stock only in the first modelling period (1970-1994) was found and in the second modelling period (1995-2007) decrease of SOC accumulation was observed. The results of this statistical analysis show significant relationship between carbon input/SOC stock as independent variables and agro-climatic regions as dependent variable.

Soil organic carbon and associated soil properties in Enset (Ensete ventricosum Welw. Cheesman)-based homegardens in Ethiopia

“…Although little is known about homegarden soils specifically, longterm land management strongly affects soil organic carbon (SOC) concentration and stock (Ogle et al, 2005;Branca et al, 2013), as well as its labile and recalcitrant fractions (Yu et al, 2017). Quantitative and qualitative aspects of SOC may be used as indicators of soil quality and sustainable productivity (Lal, 2006), but they are superimposed on effects of precipitation (Jobbagy and Jackson, 2000), moisture (Wiesmeier et al, 2013), elevation (Leifeld et al, 2005;Barančíková et al, 2013), and vegetation (Fu et al, 2010). Studies in Europe and North America revealed that intensive tillage reduces SOC (Kasper et al, 2009;Hontoria et al, 2016).…”

Assessment of carbon sequestration as affected by different management practices using the RothC model

“…The initial SOC content was used for running the RothC model to equilibrium (10 000 years) under constant environmental conditions (Coleman and Jenkinson 1996). The empirically derived relationship was set between inert organic matter and the total stock of organic carbon (Falloon et al 2002, Barančíková 2013, Hábová et al 2019. Data of carbon and radiocarbon ages were received in equilibrium mode (initial soil state, initial radiocarbon age) and were applied to run the model in short-term mode , and for prediction in long-term mode (2022-2100).…”

“…Data of carbon and radiocarbon ages were received in equilibrium mode (initial soil state, initial radiocarbon age) and were applied to run the model in short-term mode , and for prediction in long-term mode (2022-2100). Literature data for RMSE for long-term field experiments modelling were between 2% and 30% (Smith et al 1997, Falloon and Smith 2002, Guo et al 2007, Barančíková et al 2013, Hábová et al 2019.…”

“…As quoted by Wiesmeier et al (2019), natural factors that affect SOC dynamics include soil properties, climate characteristics, and geographic factors. Besides natural indicators, the impact of human activities on SOC stock comes through land use (arable land, meadow, forest) and the case of intensive soil management (Guo and Gifford 2002, Barančíková et al 2013, Maillard and Angers 2014, Poeplau and Don 2015. Loss of SOC stock after the conversion of natural ecosystems into agricultural land has been confirmed by many authors (Guo and Gifford 2002, Poeplau and Don 2015, Ledo et al 2020.…”

“…Later, it was extended to model turnover in grassland and woodland. It can operate in different soil uses and soil management, different soil types and under different climates (Smith et al 2007, Van Wesemael et al 2010, Barančíková et al 2013, Francaviglia et al 2019, Wust-Galley et al 2020, Prokopyeva et al 2021, Paramesh et al 2022.…”