Land use change affects soil organic carbon: An indicator of soil health

Authors: NGATIA, LUCY - Florida A & M University; Moriasi, Daniel; GRACE III, J - Us Forest Service (FS); FU, R - Florida State University; GARDNER, C - Florida A & M University; TAYLOR, R - Florida A & M University

Submitted to: Intech
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/6/2021
Publication Date: 1/15/2021
Citation: Ngatia, L.W., Moriasi, D.N., Grace III, J.M., Fu, R., Gardner, C., Taylor, R.W. 2021. Land use change affects soil organic carbon: An indicator of soil health. In: Otsuki, T., editor. Environmental Health. Intech. p. 1-15. http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.95764.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.95764

Interpretive Summary: Soil organic carbon (SOC) is a major indicator of soil health. Globally, soil contains approximately 2344x109 metric tons of organic carbon (C). Soil health is connected with the health of humans, animals, and other ecosystems through plant growth. SOC provides ecosystem services including climate regulation, water supplies and regulation, nutrient cycling, erosion protection, and enhancement of biodiversity. This book chapter presents findings of a literature review on the impacts of land use change on SOC and presents possible management systems that can increase SOC. Results indicate that increased global land use change from natural vegetation to agricultural land as well as intensification of agricultural practices as a result of increasing human population have led to depletion of SOC stocks. Depletion of SOC negatively affects agricultural productivity and provision of ecosystem services. Technological options that would promote SOC stocks include; no-tillage/conservation agriculture, irrigation, increasing belowground inputs, organic amendments, and integrated and diverse cropping/farming systems. In addition, conversion from cropland to its natural vegetation increases soil C. This requires increasing agricultural production per unit area instead of expanding agricultural land to natural areas.

Technical Abstract: Soil organic carbon (SOC) is a major indicator of soil health. Globally soil contains approximately 2344 Gt of organic carbon (C), which is the largest terrestrial pool of organic C. Through plant growth, soil health is connected with the health of humans, animals, and ecosystems. Soil organic C provides ecosystem services which include climate regulation, water supplies and regulation, nutrient cycling, erosion protection and enhancement of biodiversity. Globally, there have been increased land use change from natural vegetation to agricultural land as well as intensification of agricultural practices as a result of increasing human population. These changes have resulted in depletion of SOC stock. Consequently, negatively affecting the agricultural productivity and provision of ecosystem services. This necessitates the need to consider technological options that would promote SOC stocks. These options include; no-tillage/conservation agriculture, irrigation, increasing below-ground inputs, organic amendments, and integrated and diverse cropping/farming systems. In addition, land use conversion from cropland to its natural vegetation improves soil C stocks, highlighting the importance of increasing agricultural production per unit land instead of expanding agricultural land to natural areas.