Soil Carbon Sequestration and the carbon credit program

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Soil Carbon Sequestration and the carbon credit
program
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What is Soil Carbon Sequestration

• The process of transferring atmospheric CO2 into
  the soil through land management practices.
• Goal is to offset anthropogenic CO2 emissions
  into atmosphere

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Whats the Potential for Soil Sequestration of CO2

• The USDA estimates that U.S. Farms and Rangeland
  have the potential to sequester 12-14 of our
  current atmospheric emission of CO2
• Much of this CO2 will be sequestered through the
  reversal of soil carbon losses resulting from
• Cultivation
• Overgrazing

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Soil Organic Carbon in Oklahoma Soils

• Prior to settlement there were approximately 2.3
  billion tons of Carbon in Oklahoma Soils
• We have lost 114 million tons of Carbon through
  cultivation (38 of C in top 6 inches)
• We dont know how much was lost from intensively
  grazed pasturelands and grasslands
• Data suggest that heavy grazing of native pasture
  can reduce soil Carbon by as much as 35

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How can we Sequester CO2 into Soils

• Factors controlling soil C sequestration
• Soil Temperature
• Soil Moisture
• Soil texture
• Carbon input into soil
• Organic matter quality
• Soil Management

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Soil Temperature

• Temperature controls microbial activity
• Increasing temperature increases speed of the
  soil Carbon Cycle
• More rapid decomposition slower accumulation of
  organic C

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Soil Moisture

• Wet soils accumulate C faster than dry soils
• Biomass input is higher
• Soils are poorly aerated
• Histosols
• Poorly drained, peat or muck soils
• At least 20 organic matter

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Soil Texture

• Fine textured soils will accumulate more organic
  C than course textured soils
• Fine texture reduces aeration
• Interaction with clay particles can stabilize
  organic matter.

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Carbon Input Rate

• Organic C input greater than decomposition
  results in C accumulation
• Aboveground and belowground biomass input into
  soil.
• Annual removal of aboveground residue can limit
  soil organic C accumulation
• In forage production systems, frequent harvest
  can limit root growth.

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Organic Matter Quality

• Sugars, starches, and Rapid Decomposition
• simple proteins
• Crude protein
• Hemicellulose
• Cellulose
• Fats and waxes
• Lignins and
• phenolic compounds Very Slow Decomposition

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Soil Management

• Conversion from natural ecosystem to cropland or
  grazing generally reduces the amount of residue
  returned to the soil.
• Tillage aerates the soil and breaks up organic
  residues

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How can we Sequester CO2 into Oklahoma Soils

• Reduce soil aeration
• Eliminate tillage from our crop production
  systems.
• Increase the input of organic residues
• Increase biomass production
• Reduced biomass removal

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The Carbon Credit Program

• Provides financial incentive for soil C
  sequestration
• Provides a framework in which carbon can be sold
  as a commodity
• CO2 emitters such as electric power companies can
  purchase the carbon credits

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Carbon Credit Program

• Currently the program is being developed
• The following CO2 sequestration practices will be
  recognized for agricultural lands in OK
• Conservation tillage
• Grassland Establishment
• Improved pasture management
• Riparian buffer zones

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Conservation Tillage

• Strip-till or No-till management
• Current estimate of CO2 sequestration is
• 0.4 Mt of CO2/acre/year

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Grassland Establishment

• Conversion of cropland to grassland
• Current estimate of CO2 sequestration is
• 0.6 Mt CO2/acre/year

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Improved Pasture Management

• Employs sustainable stocking rates
• Eliminate overgrazed conditions and promotes the
  persistence of desirable species
• Current estimate of CO2 sequestration is
• 0.4 to 1.0 Mt CO2/acre/year

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Riparian Buffer Zones

• Passive reforestation in riparian zones
• Current estimate of CO2 sequestration is
• 0.25 Mt CO2/acre/year
• Sequestration rate will increase with time

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Carbon Credit Market
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A National Cap and Trade System

• The government caps the emission of CO2 from
  industry
• Industry can buy carbon credits to offset their
  CO2 emissions
• Northeastern states will adopt a cap and trade
  system in 2009
• NY, NJ, MD,DE,VT,CT, NH, MA, and ME
• A National Cap and Trade system will stimulate
  the Carbon Credit Market
• Carbon Credits are worth 22 in Europe because of
  cap and trade

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Secondary Environmental Benifits

• Soil erosion will be reduced!
• Water quality will improve due to reduced
  sediment loads!
• Wildlife habitat?
• May influence value of carbon credits
• Potential negative impact
• Increase pesticide use

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Question?