ARS | Publication request: Carbon and Conservation: Cropping systems and greenhouse gases

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: June 7, 2012
Publication Date: June 7, 2012
Citation: Franzluebbers, A.J. 2012. Carbon and Conservation: Cropping systems and greenhouse gases [abstract]. University of Saskatchewan Soil Science Seminar Series. Available: http://agbio.usask.ca/index.php?mact=News,cntnt01,detail,0&cntnt01articleid=183&cntnt01returnid=2645.

Technical Abstract: Quantifying and predicting soil carbon sequestration and greenhouse gas emissions from agricultural systems have been research goals for numerous institutions, especially since the turn of the millennium. Cost, time, and politics are variables that have limited the rapid development of robust quantification systems. Since 2002, USDA Agricultural Research Service has been engaged in a national project called GRACEnet (Greenhouse gas Reduction through Agricultural Carbon Enhancement network). Goals of the project are to (1) evaluate soil organic carbon status and change, (2) assess net greenhouse gas emissions (CO2, N2O, and CH4), and (3) determine ancillary environmental responses (air, water, and soil quality) within existing typical and alternative agricultural systems. Since the network’s inception, a large research effort has been conducted and reported due to the interest and commitment of numerous scientists and administrators. The Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases has also been initiated to provide technical guidance and estimation procedures for monitoring greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture around the world. This presentation briefly describes these networks and attempts to address challenges with measurements of soil carbon sequestration and greenhouse gas emissions.