The AMG model coupled with Rock-Eval® analysis accurately predicts cropland soil organic carbon dynamics in the Tuojiang River Basin, Southwest China.

Accurate soil organic carbon models are key to understand the mechanisms governing carbon sequestration in soil and to help develop targeted management strategies to carbon budget. The accuracy and reliability of soil organic carbon (SOC) models remains strongly limited by incorrect initialization of the conceptual kinetic pools and lack of stringent model evaluation using time-series datasets. Notably, due to legacy effects of management and land use change, the traditional spin-up approach for initial allocation of SOC among kinetic pools can bring substantial uncertainties in predicting the evolution of SOC stocks.

A new approach to estimate soil organic carbon content targets in European croplands topsoils.

Adopting land management practices that increase the stock of soil organic carbon (SOC) in croplands is widely promoted as a win-win strategy to enhance soil health and mitigate climate change. In this context, the definition of reference SOC content and stock values is needed to provide reliable targets to farmers, policymakers, and stakeholders. In this study, we used the LUCAS dataset to compare different methods for evaluating reference SOC content and stock values in European croplands topsoils (0-20 cm depth).

Current controversies on mechanisms controlling soil carbon storage: implications for interactions with practitioners and policy-makers. A review.

There is currently an intense debate about the potential for additional organic carbon storage in soil, the strategies by which it may be accomplished and what the actual benefits might be for agriculture and the climate. Controversy forms an essential part of the scientific process, but on the topic of soil carbon storage, it may confuse the agricultural community and the general public and may delay actions to fight climate change. In an attempt to shed light on this topic, the originality of this article lies in its intention to provide a balanced description of contradictory scientific opinions on soil carbon storage and to examine how the scientific community can support decision-making despite the controversy.