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Emerging land use practices rapidly increase soil organic matter

Author

Listed:
  • Megan B. Machmuller

    (Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA)

  • Marc G. Kramer

    (Soil and Water Science, University of Florida Gainesville, Florida, USA)

  • Taylor K. Cyle

    (Crop and Soil Sciences, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA)

  • Nick Hill

    (Crop and Soil Sciences, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA)

  • Dennis Hancock

    (Crop and Soil Sciences, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA)

  • Aaron Thompson

    (Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
    Crop and Soil Sciences, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA)

Abstract

The loss of organic matter from agricultural lands constrains our ability to sustainably feed a growing population and mitigate the impacts of climate change. Addressing these challenges requires land use activities that accumulate soil carbon (C) while contributing to food production. In a region of extensive soil degradation in the southeastern United States, we evaluated soil C accumulation for 3 years across a 7-year chronosequence of three farms converted to management-intensive grazing. Here we show that these farms accumulated C at 8.0 Mg ha−1 yr−1, increasing cation exchange and water holding capacity by 95% and 34%, respectively. Thus, within a decade of management-intensive grazing practices soil C levels returned to those of native forest soils, and likely decreased fertilizer and irrigation demands. Emerging land uses, such as management-intensive grazing, may offer a rare win–win strategy combining profitable food production with rapid improvement of soil quality and short-term climate mitigation through soil C-accumulation.

Suggested Citation

  • Megan B. Machmuller & Marc G. Kramer & Taylor K. Cyle & Nick Hill & Dennis Hancock & Aaron Thompson, 2015. "Emerging land use practices rapidly increase soil organic matter," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 6(1), pages 1-5, November.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:6:y:2015:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms7995
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms7995
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    Cited by:

    1. Aguilera, Eduardo & Díaz-Gaona, Cipriano & García-Laureano, Raquel & Reyes-Palomo, Carolina & Guzmán, Gloria I. & Ortolani, Livia & Sánchez-Rodríguez, Manuel & Rodríguez-Estévez, Vicente, 2020. "Agroecology for adaptation to climate change and resource depletion in the Mediterranean region. A review," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 181(C).
    2. Wu, Chen-Fa & Wang, Hsiao-Hsuan & Chen, Szu-Hung & Trac, Luu Van Thong, 2024. "Assessing the efficiency of bird habitat conservation strategies in farmland ecosystems," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 492(C).
    3. Bardsley, Nicholas, 2021. "Recent Advances in Biofarming Show Potential for Rapid Soil Restoration, with Carbon, Health and Livelihoods Benefits," MPRA Paper 121184, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    4. Sklenicka, Petr & Zouhar, Jan & Molnarova, Kristina Janeckova & Vlasak, Josef & Kottova, Blanka & Petrzelka, Peggy & Gebhart, Michal & Walmsley, Alena, 2020. "Trends of soil degradation: Does the socio-economic status of land owners and land users matter?," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 95(C).
    5. Magdalena Hábová & Lubica Pospíšilová & Petr Hlavinka & Miroslav Trnka & Gabriela Barančíková & Zuzana Tarasovičová & Jozef Takáč & Štefan Koco & Ladislav Menšík & Pavel Nerušil, 2019. "Carbon pool in soil under organic and conventional farming systems," Soil and Water Research, Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences, vol. 14(3), pages 145-152.
    6. Martin C. Parlasca & Matin Qaim, 2022. "Meat Consumption and Sustainability," Annual Review of Resource Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 14(1), pages 17-41, October.
    7. Csikós, Nándor & Tóth, Gergely, 2023. "Concepts of agricultural marginal lands and their utilisation: A review," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 204(C).
    8. Subash Dahal & Dorcas Franklin & Anish Subedi & Miguel Cabrera & Dennis Hancock & Kishan Mahmud & Laura Ney & Cheolwoo Park & Deepak Mishra, 2020. "Strategic Grazing in Beef-Pastures for Improved Soil Health and Reduced Runoff-Nitrate-A Step towards Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-15, January.
    9. Fatima Haque & Yi Wai Chiang & Rafael M. Santos, 2019. "Alkaline Mineral Soil Amendment: A Climate Change ‘Stabilization Wedge’?," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(12), pages 1-17, June.
    10. Wang, Tong & Jin, Hailong & Kreuter, Urs & Teague, Richard, 2021. "Expanding grass-based agriculture on marginal land in the U.S. Great Plains: The role of management intensive grazing," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 104(C).
    11. Wang, Xiuyuan & Shen, Lei & Liu, Tingting & Wei, Wenwen & Zhang, Shuai & Tuerti, Tayir & Li, Luhua & Zhang, Wei, 2023. "Juvenile plumcot tree can improve fruit quality and economic benefits by intercropping with alfalfa in semi-arid areas," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 205(C).
    12. Nikolaos V. Paranychianakis & Giorgos Giannakis & Daniel Moraetis & Vasileios A. Tzanakakis & Nikolaos P. Nikolaidis, 2021. "Crop Litter Has a Strong Effect on Soil Organic Matter Sequestration in Semi-Arid Environments," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(23), pages 1-14, November.

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