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Potential for greenhouse gas emissions from soil carbon stock following biofuel cultivation on degraded lands
Author(s) -
Nair P. K. R.,
Saha Subhrajit K.,
Nair Vimala D.,
Haile Solomon G.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
land degradation and development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.403
H-Index - 81
eISSN - 1099-145X
pISSN - 1085-3278
DOI - 10.1002/ldr.1016
Subject(s) - environmental science , greenhouse gas , soil water , soil carbon , soil respiration , land use, land use change and forestry , stock (firearms) , carbon sequestration , biofuel , land use , emission intensity , agronomy , carbon dioxide , agroforestry , soil science , ecology , chemistry , geography , biology , ion , archaeology , organic chemistry
Consequent to the interest in converting degraded lands for cultivation of biofuel crops, concerns have been expressed about greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions resulting from changes in soil‐carbon (C) stock following land conversions. A literature‐based study was undertaken for estimating the magnitude of emission of GHGs, particularly carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), following an assessment of the extent and causes of land degradation and the nature of CO 2 emission from soils. The study estimated the potential for CO 2 emission resulting from changes in soil‐carbon stock following land conversions, using oil palm ( Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) as a case study. The analysis indicated that, overall, the magnitude of CO 2 emission resulting from changes in soil C stock per se following opening up of degraded land would be low compared with other potential sources of CO 2 emission. However, lack of data on critical aspects such as baseline soil C status was a limitation of the study. Soil respiration is the single best measure of GHG emission from soils. Fixation of C in additional biomass will compensate, over time, for C loss through soil respiration following a change in land use or land management, unless such changes involve conversion of existing large C stocks. Therefore, any net CO 2 emission from soils resulting from changes in soil C stock following opening up of degraded land is likely to be a short‐term phenomenon. The estimations used in the study are based on various assumptions, which need to be validated by experimental field data. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.