Soil organic carbon in agricultural systems of six countries in East Africa – a literature review of status and carbon sequestration potential

Namirembe, Sara; Piikki, Kristin; Sommer, Rolf; Tessema, Bezaye; Nyawira, Sylvia S.

doi:10.1080/02571862.2019.1640296

Cited by 13 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 87 publications

(116 reference statements)

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“…In six countries of Africa, (van Straaten et al, 2015) the conversion of forest to cropland caused the loss of 6.7 Mg ha year . The SOC in the top 30 cm layer for ten year period -1 -1 (Namirembe et al, 2020). The higher SOC in the forest was presumably due to the significantly higher litter biomass (M = 279.95 g m , SD = -2 41.80 g m ) than the other land use types (Table 1).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 93%

Soil Organic Carbon in Forest and Other Land Use Types at Bengkulu City, Indonesia

Wiryono¹,

Muktamar²,

Deselina³

et al. 2021

jtfm

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Conversion of natural forest into agricultural land uses has decreased soil organic carbon (SOC) and increased carbon emission into the atmosphere, but proper management of agricultural land can sequester carbon from the atmosphere and increase the SOC. This study was conducted to estimate the SOC content and storage in a forest, agroforestry land, oil palm plantation, and agricultural experimental field and to analyze the correlation between the SOC and other soil characteristics at Bengkulu City, Indonesia. Soil were sampled from the following depths: 0–10 cm, 10–20 cm, and 20–30 cm. The biomass of litter and ground cover was also sampled. This study found that the forest had the highest average SOC content from the three depths, and 0–30 cm depth SOC storage, while the agroforestry system had the lowest of both SOC content and storage. The 0–10 cm depth had the highest SOC content and storage, while the 20–30 cm depth had the lowest of both variables. The SOC was positively correlated with litter biomass, field capacity, exchangeable potassium, cation exchange capacity, and negatively correlated with bulk density and exchangeable calcium, but not correlated with total nitrogen and available phosphorus. High litter biomass input is the key to the maintenance of high SOC.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 93%

Soil Organic Carbon in Forest and Other Land Use Types at Bengkulu City, Indonesia

Wiryono¹,

Muktamar²,

Deselina³

et al. 2021

jtfm

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“…Adopting agroforestry has improved carbon inputs to soil compartments and reduced greenhouse gas emissions [4]. Cultivation and cropping intensity reduce carbon in soils [17]. On the other hand, croplands are thought to lower carbon inputs in the study area [5].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Soil Organic Carbon Stocks under Different Land Utilization Types in Western Kenya

Kibet

Musafiri²,

Kiboi

et al. 2022

Sustainability

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The up-surging population in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has led to the conversion of more land for agricultural purposes. Resilient land utilization types that input carbon to the soil are key in enhancing climate change mitigation. However, there are limited data on different land utilization types’ contribution to climate mitigation through carbon input to soils. The study aims to quantify carbon stock across different land utilization types (LUT) practiced in Western Kenya. The following land utilization types were studied: agroforestry M (agroforestry with Markhamia lutea), sole sorghum, agroforestry L (agroforestry with Leucaena leucocephalaI), sole maize, and grazing land replicated thrice. To determine soil bulk density, SOC concentration, and soil carbon stock, soil samples were collected at depths of 0–5, 5–10, 10–20, and 20–30 cm from different LUTs. A PROC ANOVA was used to determine the difference in soil bulk density, SOC, and SOC stock between different LUTs and depths. The four variables differed across the LUTs and depths. A high soil bulk density was observed at 0–5 cm under grazing land (1.6 g cm−3) and the lowest under agroforestry M (1.30 g cm−3). Conversely, the soil bulk density was low at 20–30 cm under grazing land. The 0–5 cm depth accounted for a high share of SOC and SOC stock under Agroforestry M, while the 10–20 and 20–30 cm depth accounted for the high share of SOC stock under agroforestry L. The study showed differences in SOC across the different depths and LUTs. The findings highlight that agroforestry L and agroforestry M are promising interventions toward climate mitigation through carbon induction to soils.

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“…Carbon sequestration in the soil requires the rate of accumulation of soil organic carbon (SOC) to be increased through sustainable land management practices while controlling practices that result in losses (Abera et al, 2020;Namirembe et al, 2020;Fusaro et al, 2019;Ramesh et al, 2019;Adimassu et al, 2018;Blanco-Canqui et al 2018;Bass et al, 2000). Three measures exist for SOC sequestration: potential, attainable and actual, as defined by a physiochemical maximum limit for storage of C in the soil, the socioeconomic factors that limit the input of C to the soil system, and the current land management practices that reduce SOC, respectively (World Bank, 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Different cropland management practices could be used to enhance rates of SOC sequestration (Fusaro et al, 2019;Namirembe et al, 2020). These include conservation tillage (with incorporation of more than 30% of crop residues into the soil (World Bank, 2012)), application of manures and composts, use of crop rotations, adoption of improved crop varieties and controlled soil erosion (Fig.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Modeling long-term attainable soil organic carbon sequestration across the highlands of Ethiopia

Abegaz

Ali

Tamene³

et al. 2021

Environ Dev Sustain

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The objectives of this study across the highlands of Ethiopia were: (i) to characterize the association between soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks and biophysical variables and (ii) to model and map attainable SOC sequestration associated with five improved land management practices. The spatial distribution of the SOC stock was studied using a multiple linear regression model driven by eight biophysical predictors. A widely used SOC model (RothC) was then used to model changes in SOC over the next 20-50 years of improved land management. Simulations were driven by the derived SOC stocks, pH and clay contents that are available in the ISRIC soils database at 250 m resolution and climate data from the "Enhancing National Climate Services Initiative" database. Organic carbon inputs to the model were estimated from the "Improved Crop Varieties Yield Register" of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Resource and the Central Statistics Authority. After 50 years of conservation tillage with 80% of available manure applied to cultivated land, the total SOC stock increased by 169,182,174 t, which is 2.8 times higher than the stock increase with only 50% of available manure applied. Introduction of improved pasture species and measures to control soil erosion was an important source of net carbon sequestration in grasslands. Afforestation and reforestation of degraded landscapes and protection of natural ecosystems further increased soil carbon. This highlights the importance of improved land management practices to SOC sequestration, which in turn could enhance agricultural productivity, food security and sustainable development.

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Soil organic carbon in agricultural systems of six countries in East Africa – a literature review of status and carbon sequestration potential

Cited by 13 publications

References 87 publications

Soil Organic Carbon in Forest and Other Land Use Types at Bengkulu City, Indonesia

Soil Organic Carbon in Forest and Other Land Use Types at Bengkulu City, Indonesia

Soil Organic Carbon Stocks under Different Land Utilization Types in Western Kenya

Modeling long-term attainable soil organic carbon sequestration across the highlands of Ethiopia

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