Skip to main content
ARS Home » Plains Area » El Reno, Oklahoma » Oklahoma and Central Plains Agricultural Research Center » Agroclimate and Hydraulics Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #417074
Research Project: Impacts of Variable Land Management and Climate on Water and Soil Resources

Location: Agroclimate and Hydraulics Research Unit

Title: Assessment of carbon stocks across the long-term agriculture research (LTAR) network

Author
item Fortuna, Ann-Marie
item AUGUSTINE, DAVID - US Department Of Agriculture (USDA)
item BESTELMEYER, BRANDON - US Department Of Agriculture (USDA)
item BIRRU, GIRMA - US Department Of Agriculture (USDA)
item BOUGHTON, ELIZABETH - Archbold Biological Station
item CAVIGELLI, MICHEL - US Department Of Agriculture (USDA)
item CLARK, PATRICK - US Department Of Agriculture (USDA)
item COFFIN, ALISA - US Department Of Agriculture (USDA)
item CORDOVA, S. CAROLINA - University Of Nebraska
item DELL, CURTIS - US Department Of Agriculture (USDA)

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/20/2024
Publication Date: 11/11/2024
Citation: Fortuna, A., Augustine, D., Bestelmeyer, B., Birru, G., Boughton, E., Cavigelli, M., Clark, P., Coffin, A., Cordova, S., Dell, C. 2024. Assessment of carbon stocks across the long-term agriculture research (LTAR) network. Abstract. ASA, CSSA, SSSA International Annual Meeting November 10 - 13, 2024, San Antonio, Texas

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Although assessment of our national and global carbon stocks is not complete, substantial numbers of the public, governments and the scientific community recognize the potential benefit of policies that promote sequestering of soil organic carbon. Therefore, there is a need for additional verified research based carbon measurements. The LTAR Network combines strategic research projects with common measurements and data streams across multiple agroecosystems (croplands, rangelands, and pasturelands) that complement other federally funded national networks. The LTAR provides information on tradeoffs and how they vary across an agroecosystem region by comparing “business-as-usual”, common practices that have limited sustainability or that can be improved to “aspirational” practices that foster greater productivity, cost efficiency, and resilience with reduced environmental impacts. The LTAR soils data inventory includes sufficient information to calculate a terrestrial carbon balance across a range of agroecosystems, climates, soil types, and topographies. Carbon mass balances were calculated for each site using above and below ground biomass, litter, and soil organic carbon. A number of sites had measured all inputs required across the business as usual and aspirational at least twice in a five year period providing a baseline and change in baseline. Two additional carbon benchmarks were used for cross-site comparison a pristine relic southern tall grass prairie on a clay loam in a sub-humid climate and a tilled monoculture management on a sandy loam in a humid subtropical climate. Data from the LTAR carbon budget cross-site project will be used to determine which agroecosystems have the potential to foster carbon neutrality and the circumstances in which “farming for carbon policies” foster conservation of natural resources. The USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.