Soil carbon dynamics in relation to soil surface management and cropping system

Abstract

A high soil organic matter content is synonymous with high-quality agricultural soils, as it affects many soil processes such as microbial activity, nutrient storage and release, water retention and soil aggregate formation. Due pressure on agricultural intensification with improved and science-based technology imposed a challenge to increase agricultural production without accentuating risks of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, hence affecting the terrestrial carbon balance, which has been a research focus for more than a half-century. Agricultural practices including soil surface management, crop rotation, residue and tillage management, fertilization, and monoculture affect soil quality, soil organic matter (SOM), and carbon transformation. Consequently, soil surface management practices and cropping system have a major effect on the distribution of C and N and the rates of organic matter decomposition and N mineralization. © Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2020.