Current location:sport >>
Study reveals giant store of global soil carbon
sport9518People have gathered around
IntroductionAn aerial drone photo taken on April 9, 2024 shows a terraced field in Miyi County, southwest China& ...
An aerial drone photo taken on April 9, 2024 shows a terraced field in Miyi County, southwest China's Sichuan Province. [Photo/Xinhua]
Soil carbon usually refers only to the organic matter component of soils, known as soil organic carbon (SOC). However, soil carbon also has an inorganic component, known as soil inorganic carbon (SIC).
Solid SIC, often calcium carbonate, tends to accumulate more in arid regions with infertile soils, which has led many to believe it is not important.
In a study recently published in the journal Science, a team of researchers led by Huang Yuanyuan from the Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and Zhang Ganlin from the Institute of Soil Science of the CAS, have quantified the global store of SIC, challenging the long-held view.
The researchers found a whopping 2,305 billion tonnes of carbon stored as SIC in the top two meters of soil worldwide, which is more than five times the carbon found in all of the world's vegetation. This hidden pool of soil carbon could be key to understanding how carbon moves around the globe.
This huge carbon pool is vulnerable to changes in the environment, especially soil acidification. Acids dissolve calcium carbonate and remove it either as carbon dioxide gas or directly into the water, Huang said.
"Many regions in countries like China and India are experiencing soil acidification due to industrial activities and intense farming. Without remedial actions and better soil practices, the world is likely to face a disturbance of SIC in the next 30 years," she added.
Disturbances to SIC accumulated over Earth's history have a profound impact on soil health. This disruption compromises the soil's ability to neutralize acidity, regulate nutrient levels, foster plant growth, and stabilize organic carbon.
Essentially, SIC plays a critical dual role in storing carbon and supporting ecosystem functions that depend on it.
The researchers revealed that approximately 1.13 billion tonnes of inorganic carbon are lost from soils to inland waters each year. This loss has profound but often overlooked implications for carbon transport among land, atmosphere, freshwater and ocean.
While society has recognized the importance of soils as a fundamental part of nature-based solutions to combat climate change, much of the focus has been on SOC. The study indicates that SIC deserves equal attention.
The study underscores the urgency of incorporating inorganic carbon into climate change mitigation strategies as an additional lever for maintaining and enhancing carbon sequestration.
International programs such as the "4 per 1000" Initiative, which aims to increase SOC by 0.4 percent annually, should also consider the critical role of inorganic carbon in achieving sustainable soil management and climate mitigation goals.
By broadening the understanding of soil carbon dynamics to include both organic and inorganic carbon, the researchers hope to develop more effective strategies for maintaining soil health, enhancing ecosystem services, and mitigating climate change.
Tags:
Reprint:Friends are welcome to share on the Internet, but please indicate the source of the article when reprinting it.“Planet Pulse news portal”。http://chad.liveandunplugged.org/content-92a299824.html
Related articles
Atlanta officer charged with killing his Lyft driver
sportUNION CITY, Ga. (AP) — An Atlanta police officer who shot and killed a Lyft driver who was driving h ...
【sport】
Read moreHeadmistress Committed to Primary School Education for Decades
sportContact Us HomeNewsHighlightACWF NewsSocietyWom ...
【sport】
Read morePreview: Champions League a big factor in La Liga matchday
sportThe 31st round of matches in La Liga comes with three of the top-four involved in the Champions Leag ...
【sport】
Read more
Popular articles
- Britain's 'kindest' plumber damaged my home
- Restorer's Hands
- Top diplomats meet in Paris to mobilize aid for Sudan, wrecked by war and on the brink of famine
- HKSAR chief executive congratulates athletes of Hong Kong, China for Asiad achievements
- Joint streaming venture involving ESPN, Fox, Warner Bros. Discovery will be called Venu Sports
- Helping Women Play Greater Roles in Promoting Social Development
Latest articles
Two boys, 12, stabbed teenager, 19, to death in park machete attack after victim 'shoulder
Zhang Guimei: Helping Impoverished Girls Improve Education, Changing Their Fates
Book Restorers Touch History
Chen Chunyan: 'Liusanjie of New Generation' Sings for New Era
Jeremy Wells leads the way for club pros at PGA Championship
Academicians Vow Greater Contributions
LINKS
- Floyd Mayweather gifts $30k to homeless men before Clippers
- Kylie Minogue reveals her unlikely friendship with Coldplay's Chris Martin
- Soccer fan arrested in Marseille as authorities investigate reports of Nazi salute, monkey chants
- AP Was There: Ohio National Guard killed protesters at Kent State University
- Las Vegas Sicko 'caught chomping on a dead victim's EYEBALL' is seen for the first time
- Savanier scores sweet volley then gets red card as Montpellier beats Toulouse
- The Block's Liberty Paschke reveals her horrifying encounter with a magpie: 'I'm so scared'
- Denmark to liberalize its abortion law to allow the procedure until 18th week of pregnancy
- Southern Brazil has been hit by the worst floods in 80 years. At least 37 people have died
- Married At First Sight groom Tim Calwell speaks out after wife Sara Mesa 'cheated' on him amid puppy