Development of methods to determine carbon storage potential in agricultural soils

Arable soils are complex ecosystems with a central role in mitigating climate change and adapting agriculture to climate change. Soil organic matter of arable soils can be both, a source and sink for CO2 emissions. As arable soils have lost about 40-60% of their soil organic carbon (SOC) reserves in the course of historical land use changes, it is assumed that arable soils, if managed optimally, also have a corresponding potential to partially compensate for these SOC deficits. The aim of the project is to determine the potentials for SOC storage in pioneer farms and to understand the underlying dynamics of soil organic matter formation. The three main objectives pursued in this project are: - To quantify humus deficits in arable soils and to derive soil type-specific SOC storage potentials in farms with soil ameliorating management. - To determine indicators for monitoring humus formation and carbon sequestration in soils (see Subproject AnIC4Soil). - To combine the analytical indicators with humus models and operational management quantification approaches that allow an action-based estimation of carbon storage potentials.