Impacts of agricultural management practices on C sequestration in forest-derived soils of the eastern Corn Belt

Soil organic matter has recently been implicated as an important sink for atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2), However, the relative impacts of various agricultural management practices on soil organic matter dynamics and, therefore, C sequestration at spatial scales larger than a single plot or times longer than the typical three year experiment have rarely been reported. Results of maintaining agricultural management practices in the forest-derived soils of the eastern Corn (Zea mays L.) Belt states of Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania (USA) were studied. We found annual organic C input and tillage intensity were the most important factors in affecting C sequestration. The impact of rotation on C sequestration was primarily related to the way it altered annual total C inputs. The removal of above-ground plant biomass and use of cover crops were of lesser importance, The most rapid changes in soil organic matter content occurred during the first five years after a management practice was imposed with slower changes occurring thereafter. Certain management practices, e.g, no-tillage (NT), increased the soil's ability to sequester atmospheric CO2. The impact of this sequestration will be significant only when these practices are used extensively on a large percentage of cropland and when the C-building practices are maintained, Any soil C sequestered will be rapidly mineralized to CO2 if the soil organic matter building practices are not maintained, (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.