opportunities & challenges of soil carbon sequestration in indian conditions

WELCOME

Speaker : Sunil Kumar(A-2012-40-004)

Opportunities & Challenges of Soil

Carbon Sequestration in

Indian Conditions

Introduction

Ways that carbon can be sequestered

Soil carbon sequestration

Opportunities to sequester carbon in soil

Challenges in soil carbon sequestration

Conclusion.

OUTLINE

3

INTRODUCTION

4

Climate change is an important environmental issue

that has captured the world’s attention during the

recent past.

Global climate change commonly referred to as

global warming, is a serious environmental issue

affecting human life and planet earth.

5

The continued increase in CO2 concentration in the

atmosphere is believed to be accelerated by human

activities such as burning of fossil fuels and

deforestation.

One of the approaches to reducing CO2

concentration in the atmosphere is carbon

sequestration.

6

Carbon sequestration

Carbon Sequestration/CO2 storage is the placement

of CO2 into a depository in such a way that it

remains safely stored and not released back to the

atmosphere.

Carbon dioxide emission in top five countries

CHINA; 9700

USA; 5420

INDIA; 1970

RUSSIA; 1830

JAPAN; 1240

Million tonnes per annum

http://www.pbl.nl/en/, 2013 Netherlands Environment Agency

Sources of carbon dioxide emission

Man made sources Industries Transportation Land use change Soil cultivation Biomass burning

Natural sources

Volcanoes

Wild fires

Decomposition

Respiration

Sources of carbon dioxide emission

Ways that carbon can be sequestered

Geological sequestration: Underground

Ocean sequestration: Deep in ocean

Terrestrial sequestration: In plants and soil

12

Geological sequestration

Carbon extractedfrom a coal or otherfossil fuel…

is currently burned and emitted to air

CO2 is captured as concentratedhigh pressure fluid.

CO2 is shipped as supercritical fluid via pipeline to a selected, permitted injection site.

CO2 injected at pressure intopore space at depths below and isolated (sequestered)from potable water.

Various physical and geochemical trapping mechanisms

would prevent the CO2 from escaping to the surface.

For well-selected, designed and managed geological storage

sites, the IPCC estimates that CO2 could be trapped for

millions of years, and the sites are likely to retain over 99 per

cent of the injected CO2 over 1,000 years.

13

Ocean Sequestration

Carbon is naturally stored in the ocean via two pumps, solubility and

biological and there are analogous man made methods, direct

injection and ocean fertilization, respectively.

At the present time, approximately one third of human generated

emissions are estimated to be entering the ocean.

Geological and ocean carbon sequestration is not yet

viable at a commercial level.

Small scale projects demonstrated but carbon

sequestration is still a developing technology due to high

price of installing these carbon capture systems.

15

Terrestrial Carbon Sequestration

The process through which CO2 from the atmosphere is

absorbed naturally through photosynthesis & stored as

carbon in biomass & soils.

SOIL CARBON SEQUESTRATION

Soil is a major source and sink of atmospheric CO₂.

Soil carbon sequestration refers to the storage of carbon in soil.

The awareness of green house gas emissions and concerns about the global warming have led to an increased interest in sequestering carbon in soils.

17

SOIL :THE LARGEST TERRESTRIAL CARBON POOL

The global soil carbon pool amounts to 2500 Gt. The total soil

carbon pool is four times the biotic pool and three times the

atmospheric pool.

Soil organic carbon stocks in soils of India have been estimated

to be 21 Pg (upper 30 cm) and 63 Pg (upper 150 cm).

Lal (2004)

Benefits of Soil Carbon Sequestration

Improved agricultural performance

Increased soil fertility

Healthier ecology

Improved soil structure

Less erosion

Better water use and storage

Improved biodiversity

Opportunities to sequester carbon in soil

Crop management

Tillage & Residue management

Nutrient management

Agroforestry & Grasslands

20

Crop Management Strategies for C Sequestration

Enhance C inputs Reduce C losses Crop rotations Fallow management

To increase soil carbon levels, we need crop rotations that

reduce fallow periods.

Especially rotations with fallow periods during the summer

when temperatures result in maximum soil respiration rates. 21

Carbon sequestration rate in rice-wheat and maize-wheat system (0-60 cm profile)

Kukal et al. (2009)Sandy loam

pH=7.9Ludhiana

Treatments

Carbon sequestration rate (kg ha-1 yr-1)

Rice -wheat Maize-wheat

N120 130 30

N120P 30 190 40

N120P30K 30 260 80

FYM 20 t ha-1 310 140

LSD (0.05) 40 30

22

Long term effect of manure and fertilizers on total organic carbon (g kg-1) under rice-wheat-jute system

Fallow Control N NP NPK NPK + FYM

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

6.1

5.15.7

6.3

7.47.90-15 cm

Barrackpore (West Bengal), pH = 7.1 Manna et al. (2006)

Initial TOC=7.12

TreatmentsYears

2004- 2005 2005- 2006

Coconut + banana 1.23 1.25

Coconut + maize 1.18 1.21

Coconut + pineapple 1.25 1.30

CD(0.05) 0.05 0.04

Sudha and George (2011)

Soil organic carbon (%) under different cropping systems at 0-15 cm soil depth

Thiruvananthapuram, Clay loam, pH-5.8 24

Change in total organic carbon (Mg ha-1) under different treatments at 0-15 cm depth in rice-wheat cropping system

Fallow Control NPK NPK + FYM NPK +PS NPK + GM0

5

10

15

20

25

18.8

14.7

17.8

21.3 19.918.3

BCKV, West Bengal (Sandy loam, pH- 7.2) Ghosh et al. (2012)

PS=Paddy straw, GM=Green manure

Soil organic carbon (g kg-1) in rice-wheat system

Benbi and Brar (2009)

26

Ludhiana

Tillage and Residue management

27

Effect of straw management and tillage system on organic carbon and carbon sequestration in soil after wheat

Treatments Organic carbon (%) C sequestered (%)

Straw burned- CT 0.35 -

Straw burned- ZT 0.36 -

Straw incorporated- CT 0.44 16.6

Straw mulched- ZT 0.48 25.2

CD (0.05) 0.05-

Singh et al. (2009)Ludhiana (Sandy loam, pH-7.8)

CT= Conventional tillage, ZT= Zero tillage

28

Soil organic carbon stock (Mg ha-1 yr-1) under lantana application

M0 F100% M10 F100% M20 F100% M30 F100%

0.06

0.310000000000002

0.410.46

Palampur Raina (2007)Lantana application on fresh weight basis. M0= 0, M10=10 t/ha, M20= 20 t/ha, M30= 30 t/ha

Silty clay loam

TreatmentsYear

2004- 2005 2005- 2006

Residue management

Surface mulching 1.31 1.37

Residue incorporation 1.13 1.13

CD (0.05) 0.04 0.04

Tillage

Conventional tillage 1.22 1.22

Reduced tillage 1.22 1.29

CD (0.05) NS 0.04

Sudha and George (2011)

Soil organic carbon (%) under residue management and tillage at 0-15 cm soil depth

Thiruvananthapuram, Clay loam, pH-5.8

Coconut based cropping system, maize, banana, pineapple

30

Treatments

Mean annual C input (Mg ha−1)

Stubble Root RD

C input through

crop residue

C input throughorganics

Total C

input

Control 0.05 0.22 0.31 0.59 e - 0.59

25 kg N (urea) 0.08 0.29 0.41 0.78 c - 0.78

50 kg N (urea) 0.09 0.33 0.46 0.85 b - 0.85

25 kg N (FYM)+25 kg N (urea) 0.10 0.31 0.44 0.87 b 1.48 2.35

25 kg N (CR)+25 kg N (urea) 0.09 0.29 0.41 0.80 c 2.22 3.02

25 kg N (Leucaena)+25 kg N (urea) 0.08 0.24 0.33 0.65 d 0.28 0.93

25 kg N (CR)+25 kg N (Leucaena) 0.10 0.33 0.46 0.90 a 2.50 3.40

Srinivasarao et al. (2012)

Carbon input to soil from rainfed sorghum under different fertilizer and manurial treatments

HyderabadClay

pH= 8.0Mean (1985–2007)

RD= Rhizodeposition

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NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT

32

Treatments 0-15 cm 15-30 cm

Control0.41 0.32

100% NPK0.52 0.40

50% N (FYM ) + 50% NPK0.62 0.46

50% N (wheat straw ) + 50% NPK0.59 0.42

50% N (Sesbania aculeata) + 50% NPK0.60 0.43

CD (0.05)0.03 0.02

Kumar et al. (2012)Hisar (Sandy loam), pH = 7.82

Soil organic carbon (%) as affected by the application of fertilizers and organics in pearl millet-wheat cropping system

33

Treatments

0–15 cm soil Depth

SOC (g kg-1)

Carbon sequestration

(Mg C ha-1)

Carbon sequestration rate

(Mg C ha-1 yr-1)

Control 3.26 d 1.94 c 0.22 c

100% N 3.53 c 2.18 c 0.24 c

100% NP 3.60 c 2.16 c 0.24 c

100% NPK 4.11 b 3.30 b 0.37 b

100% NPK + FYM 4.55 a 4.10 a 0.46 a

Brar et al. (2013)

Effect of organic manure and inorganic fertilizers on carbon sequestration under rice–wheat cropping system

Ludhiana Loamy sand pH = 8.3 34

Soil organic carbon (%) as influenced by organic nutrition in rice-vegetable based sequence

100%

FYM

100%

VM

100%

PM

100%

UREA

125%

FYM

125%

VM

125%

PM

150%

FYM

150%

VM

150%

PM0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.440.47

0.5

0.40.45

0.480.52

0.460.49

0.54

OC %

Meena and Singh (2012)(Sandy clay loam, pH- 7.12) VaranasiInitial SOC=0.38 VM=vermicompost, PM=Poultry manure

Soil organic carbon (g kg-1) as influenced by FYM and inorganic fertilizer in rice-wheat system

Treatments

Soil Depth

Rice Wheat

0-15 15-30 0-15 15-30

N120 3.4 d 2.5 c 3.9 c 2.7 c

N12O P 30 3.8 c 2.7 c 4.4 b 2.9 bc

N120 P30 K 30 5.3 b 3.0 b 4.9 a 3.1 b

FYM 6.2 a 3.4 a 5.1 a 3.4 a

Control 3.0 d 2.0 d 2.9 d 2.3 d

Kukal et al. (2009)Sandy loam pH=8.1Ludhiana 36

TreatmentsSoil organic carbon

SOC (g kg-1 soil) Amount (Mg ha-1)

Control 6.01 35.5

N20 P35 6.70 38.7

N20 K33 6.45 37.6

N20 P35 K33 7.51 43.1

N20 + FYM 10 Mg ha-1 9.63 54.7

NPK+FYM 10.76 60.3

Initial 5.54 33.3

LSD (0.05) 0.9 0.8

Kundu et al. (2007)

Soil organic carbon at 0–45 cm as affected by 30 years of fertilizer application in a rainfed soybean–wheat rotation

Sandy loam, pH= 6.1Almora 37

Treatments

0–20 cm soil Depth

SOC (Mg ha-1)

CS(Mg C ha-1)

CSR(Mg C ha-1 yr-1)

Control32.2 D -3.57 D -0.18 D

100% NPK36.2 C 0.43 C 0.02 C

50% NPK + 4 Mg ha−1 GNS 47.2 A 11.43 A 0.57 A

50% NPK + 4 Mg ha−1 FYM 45.9 A 10.13 A 0.51 A

5Mg ha−1 FYM 42.4 B 6.63 B 0.33 B

Soil organic carbon and carbon sequestration (CS) and under different fertilization in long term mono cropping of groundnut

Srinivasarao et al. (2012)HyderabadSandy loam

pH= 6.1

CSR= Carbon sequestration rate

38

Organic carbon sequestered annually in soil profile (0-45cm) in a long term fertilizer experiment

50%NPK 100%NPK 150%NPK 100%NP 100%N 100%NPK+FYM

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

100

200

500

150 130

700

OC

seq

ues

tere

d (

kg h

a -1 y

r -1)

Rudrappa et al. (2006)New Delhi Sandy Clay loam, pH = 8.3

Maize-wheat-cowpea

Agroforestry

Land use

0-15 cm soil layer

Tree age (yrs)

One Three Six

Agroforestry 12.4 14.6 15.8

Sole crop (wheat) 9.0 9.6 9.2

LSD (0.05) 1.6 1.1 0.9

15-30 cm soil layer

Agroforestry 10.8 11.3 13.3

Sole crop (wheat) 8.10 8.32 8.10

LSD (0.05) 1.1 0.9 0.7

Gupta et al. (2009)

Total soil organic carbon pool (Mg ha -1) affected by poplar (Poplulus deltoides) based agro-forestry

Ludhiana Sandy loam, pH = 7.9 41

Biomass

Systems

Above ground biomass

Below ground biomass

Above ground carbon

Below ground carbon

Horti pastoral 15.26 5.37 6.86 2.41

Silvi pastoral 32.72 11.50 14.72 5.17

Agri siliviculture 34.05 11.97 15.32 5.38

Horti silvipastoral 18.20 6.40 8.19 2.88

Pure forest 134.18 47.16 60.38 21.32

Natural grassland 3.44 1.03 1.54 0.46

CD= 0.05 13.31 4.45 0.03 5.99

Khaki and Wani (2011)

Biomass production (t ha-1) and carbon stock (t ha-1) under different land use systems

Paonta Sahib 42

Soil carbon sequestration (t ha-1) of natural forest ecosystems

Treatments 0-20 cm 20-40 cm Total

Oak forest 52.6 a 49.1 ab 101.8

Pine forest 52.2 a 47.5 abc 99.7

Oak and Pine forest 63.5 a 54.1 a 111.4

Mixed Broad leaved forest 55.8 a 46.0 bcd 101.9

Acacia forest 55.0 a 47.9 abc 109.1

Scrub 53.6 a 39.0 bcd 92.6

Grassland 50.5 a 31.1 cd 81.6

Devi et al. (2013)Solan, Clay Loam, pH=6.3-8.0 43

Soil organic carbon concentration and stock under different land use

Treatments SOC (%) SOC stock (t ha-1)

Grassland 5.2 187

Acacia plantation 4.6 173

Cardamom plantation 4.0 154

Open scrub 3.9 151

Pine plantation 3.5 137

Tea plantation 2.9 118

Rubber plantation2.4 95

Homestead 1.9 77

Sreekanth et al. (2013)Kottayam (Kerala), Clay loam 44

Clean development Mechanism (CDM)

45

Clean development Mechanism (CDM)

In the recent past CDM projects have been attracting

carbon trading. India has also caught with the trend.

At the global level, so for 299 such projects have been

registered with UNFCCC that have the capacity to

save 577 million tonnes of CO2 annually.

Out of these firms 32% are from India. Some of them

are in the agroforestry sector like the two biomass

based projects of LANCO group in Andhra Pradesh.46

47

32%

2%

2%3%

3%

5%6%7%

22%

18%

India

Rep. of Korea

Argentina

Malaysia

Honcuras

Chile

China

Mexico

Brazil

Other's

Registered CDM projects by countries with UNFCCC

Challenges in soil carbon sequestration

48

Deforestation

Residue burning

Conventional tillage

Imbalanced use of fertilizers

Reduced inputs of organic matter

Deforestation

Forests are the most effective system of carbon sequestration in nature.

Deforestation causes loss of a valuable resource of carbon sequestration along

with additional increase of CO2 in atmosphere.

Deforestation accounts for an annual release of carbon between 90 – 250 Mt,

about one third of which comes from oxidation of soil carbon in the tropics.

(Lal 2010)

Residue Burning

This method is used to clear the land cheaply in short duration.

It leads to emission of greenhouse gases namely carbon dioxide, methane

and nitrous oxide, causing global warming and loss of plant nutrients like N,

P and S.

It releases 12 Mt CO2 ha-1 as well as other more potent

greenhouse gases.

Heat generated from the burning of crop residues

elevates soil temperature causing death of active

beneficial microbial population.

Repeated burnings in a field, however, diminishes the

microbial population permanently.

Conventional tillage

Conventional agricultural practices such as ploughing, removal of crop

residues, soil fertility mining and accelerated soil erosion are mainly

responsible for low SOC in cultivated soils.

Soil erosion alone leads to a soil C loss of 4.3 to 7.3 Tg C y-1 (Lal,

2004).

Imbalanced use of fertilizers

Chemical and physical properties of soil are degraded which reduces

the ability of soil to support plant and microbial growth.

This results in reduced efficiency of soil and plants to sequester the

carbon from atmosphere.

Several studies had shown that imbalanced fertilization leads to

decrease in crop yield and SOC buildup.

(Manna et al. 2005; Rudrappa et al. 2006; Kukal et al. 2009)

Reduced inputs of organic matter

Rainfed condition : Green manure crops will not decompose readily due to lack of water.

For higher cropping intensity land is unavailable for green manure cultivation.

Disease, insects and nematodes may come up due to improper decomposition.

Green manuring

CONCLUSIONS

Greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere are

increasing and the threat of global climate change requires

our attention.

Soil carbon sequestration is an effective tool to sequester

atmospheric CO2 with better practical application than other

approaches.

Soil carbon sequestration provide vast opportunity to

sequester carbon in the soil.

A diversity of agricultural management practices can be employed to sequester more carbon in plants and soil:

Crop management.

Nutrient management.

Residue management and conservation tillage.

Agro-forestry. Soil carbon sequestration using innovative soil and crop

management practices is needed to augment soil carbon storage.

Combination of different agricultural management practices can enhance soil carbon sequestration.

conti….

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