Please note that this session was withdrawn and is no longer available in the respective programme. This withdrawal might have been the result of a merge with another session.
SSS5.1 | Advances in understanding carbon stabilisation and destabilisation in soils
Advances in understanding carbon stabilisation and destabilisation in soils
Convener: Felix Seidel | Co-conveners: Daniel Evans, Chris McCloskeyECSECS
Soils are one of the largest terrestrial sinks for organic carbon, and therefore present a promising opportunity to mitigate climate change. Over the past decade, many global initiatives have been launched to enhance soils’ capacity to sequester and store organic carbon. A noteworthy example is the ‘4 per mille’ initiative, launched at the Paris Climate Change Conference in 2015. Eight years have elapsed since this initiative was launched, and a debate ensues about the extent to which soils have the capacity to increase their carbon storage and stabilise additional C.

In this session, we will showcase research that advance our understanding in how biomass C inputs to the soils are turned into stabilized soil C. Is there a threshold above which a soil profile can no longer increase its carbon storage? What determined the fate of C inputs to the soil? What are the mechanisms determining differences between soils’ capacity to stabilise C?

We welcome empirical work, model-based efforts, or desk-based reviews. Early career researchers are strongly encouraged to apply.