Cover crops do increase soil organic carbon stocks—A critical comment on Chaplot and Smith (2023)

Poeplau, Christopher; Liang, Zhi; Don, Axel; Seitz, Daria; De Notaris, Chiara; Angers, Denis; Barré, Pierre; Beillouin, Damien; Cardinael, Rémi; Ceschia, Eric; Chenu, Claire; Constantin, Julie; Demenois, Julien; Mary, Bruno; Pellerin, Sylvain; Plaza‐Bonilla, Daniel; Quemada, Miguel; Justes, Eric

doi:10.1111/gcb.17128

Global Change Biology

2024

DOI: 10.1111/gcb.17128

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Cover crops do increase soil organic carbon stocks—A critical comment on Chaplot and Smith (2023)

Christopher Poeplau,

Zhi Liang,

Axel Don

et al.

Abstract: Recently, Chaplot and Smith (2023) challenged the notion, that cover crops constitute an effective option to increase soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks. As much as we agree with the authors' position on the need for analytical rigour, we strongly question the validity of their study.LETTER TO THE EDITOR is highly variable, depending on the level of cover crop growth which determines the C inputs in the soil. However, a general questioning of an average positive effect of bare soil replacement with vegetation us… Show more

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Cited by 4 publications

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Cover crops and deep‐soil C accumulation: What does research show after 10 years?

Blanco‐Canqui,

Jasa,

Ferguson

et al. 2024

Soil Science Soc of Amer J

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The extent to which cover crops (CCs) accumulate soil organic carbon (SOC) in the entire soil profile is still unclear. We measured SOC, permanganate oxidizable C (POX‐C), and particulate organic matter (POM) concentrations down to 60‐cm soil depth in early [2–3 week before corn (Zea mays L.) planting]‐ and late‐terminated (at corn planting) winter rye (Secale cereale L.) CCs in rainfed and irrigated no‐till continuous corn systems in the U.S. Corn Belt after 10 years. CCs increased SOC stock and SOC, POX‐C, and POM concentrations but only in the irrigated system in the upper 5‐cm depth. Late‐terminated CC increased SOC concentration by 4.710 ± 3.501 g kg−1 and accumulated SOC at 0.207 ± 0.145 Mg C ha−1 year−1. It increased POX‐C and POM concentrations, on average, by 1.194 times. CCs likely increased SOC in the irrigated system by producing more biomass (2.247 ± 0.370 Mg ha−1) than in the rainfed system (0.949 ± 0.338 Mg ha−1). At least 2 Mg ha−1 of CC biomass may be needed to increase SOC. Because winter CCs often produce <1 Mg ha−1 of biomass when typically planted late and terminated early, extending the CC growing window by terminating CCs at or after crop planting (planting green) may boost CC biomass and SOC accumulation, although high‐C soils or Mollisols, such as our study soils (>22 g C kg−1), may limit SOC gains. We submit CCs would sequester more SOC in low‐C, eroded, and low‐fertility soils. Overall, winter rye CCs minimally alter soil C in the soil profile in no‐till continuous corn systems after 10 years.

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Cover crops and deep‐soil C accumulation: What does research show after 10 years?

Blanco‐Canqui,

Jasa,

Ferguson

et al. 2024

Soil Science Soc of Amer J

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Role of cover crop roots in soil organic carbon accrual—A review

Pisarčik,

Hakl,

Toleikiene

et al. 2024

European J Soil Science

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Appropriate cover crop (CC) management is an important tool for the improvement of soil carbon stock; however, the relationships between carbon accumulation and CC root traits remain unclear. A literature review was performed to identify the extent and focus of recent research and to answer questions about the role of root traits of CCs in soil C accumulation with regard to species selection, mixture composition and agronomic management. The findings based on the analysis of 69 publications show that a range of root traits such as root biomass, architecture, depth of rooting, root chemical composition, as well as quantity and quality of rhizodeposition, can contribute to soil structure formation and C accumulation. These traits are usually species specific, and it seems that appropriate species combinations in the mixtures can offer the highest potential for optimization of C stock across various environments. However, there has been twice as much recent research on roots of CC monocultures than on mixtures, with little attention paid to agronomic aspects such as plant spatial arrangement or soil tillage in relation to CC root development. Considerations of real management under field conditions could be beneficial in providing greater accuracy of estimation of the contribution of CCs in increasing the SOC stock in croplands.

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Lessons learned from existing carbon removal methodologies for agricultural soils to drive European Union policies

Criscuoli,

Martelli,

Falconi

et al. 2024

European J Soil Science

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Soil plays a central role in the global carbon (C) cycle and the fight against climate change as it contains the largest existing organic C stock on earth. Natural processes exacerbated by climate change and unsustainable agricultural soil management practices are contributing to the steady decrease in organic C stocks in farmland. Carbon farming practices, underpinned by various incentives, can be used to maintain and increase C stocks in agricultural soils. Carbon credit mechanisms, that is, tradable credits each corresponding to one tonne of CO2eq, are one such incentive. Carbon credits are issued upon the demonstration of increased soil C stocks over time through the application of C accounting methodologies for each agroecosystem and farming practice. This study presents a detailed and critical analysis of carbon credit methodologies, focusing on agricultural soil C in temperate zones, by comparing the European Commission proposal for a regulation on carbon removals with relevant certification frameworks implemented in extra‐European Union industrialized countries (Australia, Alberta in Canada, United States). Based on this, we recommend strengthening the European Commission proposal by (i) expanding the list of eligible agricultural practices, (ii) setting a minimum maintenance time frame for each agricultural practice and incentivizing longer duration, (iii) setting the Good Agricultural and Environmental Conditions of the European Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) as a regulatory baseline, (iv) beyond the regulatory baseline, defining a farm level baseline in terms of carbon farming practices applied that can be monitored through the Integrated Administration and Control System of the CAP, (v) clarifying the interaction between the European Commission proposal of regulation and the CAP, the Soil Monitoring Law, and Land Use/Cover Area Frame Survey inventory, (vi) retaining a portion of unsold carbon credits as a buffer against the risk of reversal and (vii) applying a default discount to account for leakage risk if yield reductions are observed. We propose these recommendations to guarantee effective environmental protection, technical and bureaucratic feasibility as well as economic affordability for farmers.

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Cover crops do increase soil organic carbon stocks—A critical comment on Chaplot and Smith (2023)

Cited by 4 publications

References 15 publications

Cover crops and deep‐soil C accumulation: What does research show after 10 years?

Cover crops and deep‐soil C accumulation: What does research show after 10 years?

Role of cover crop roots in soil organic carbon accrual—A review

Lessons learned from existing carbon removal methodologies for agricultural soils to drive European Union policies

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