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THREAD: What happens to #carbon once it's sequestered in soils? How can we lock it in & ensure it doesn't return to the atmosphere as CO2?
Soil scientists use "fractionation" methods for that^. Fractionation tells us about different pools of C-some stay forever & some are quick
Soil scientists use "fractionation" methods for that^. Fractionation tells us about different pools of C-some stay forever & some are quick
Consider it like food for the body.
Some of the energy in your food will get used to build your bones-it stays there & is permanent. Some of the energy gets digested & respired as CO2 when you breathe. Not permanent, but you still need it. & some is intermediate-stored as fat.
Some of the energy in your food will get used to build your bones-it stays there & is permanent. Some of the energy gets digested & respired as CO2 when you breathe. Not permanent, but you still need it. & some is intermediate-stored as fat.
In soils, we call the permanent fraction MAOM (minerally associated organic matter). This is the soil C that gets stuck to minerals & stays forever.
The faster fraction is called POM (particulate organic matter). This pool is a lot more dynamic https://www.nature.com/articles/s41561-019-0484-6
The faster fraction is called POM (particulate organic matter). This pool is a lot more dynamic https://www.nature.com/articles/s41561-019-0484-6
Then there's aggregates, which are super important for #SoilHealth. Think of aggregates like little 
for microbes. Microbes need structure to live/work! If we destroy their (tillage), then they high-tail it outta there & take their goodies w/ them. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/gcb.14859
for microbes. Microbes need structure to live/work! If we destroy their (tillage), then they high-tail it outta there & take their goodies w/ them. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/gcb.14859
Aggregates can also lock away carbon in soils, but it's a more intermediate stabilization compared to MAOM.
W/ fractionation, we like to isolate all these different pools, which helps us understand where C is going, and where it's staying in soils. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0016706119323778
W/ fractionation, we like to isolate all these different pools, which helps us understand where C is going, and where it's staying in soils. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0016706119323778
Why does this matter?
For soil C #sequestration to really mitigate #ClimateChange, it needs to be pretty permanent
the permanent C pool (MAOM) can hypothetically saturate, because there's only so many minerals for the C to stick to. POM, however, we can add forever
For soil C #sequestration to really mitigate #ClimateChange, it needs to be pretty permanent the permanent C pool (MAOM) can hypothetically saturate, because there's only so many minerals for the C to stick to. POM, however, we can add forever
So, in addition to just measuring #soilcarbon sequestration, we should also be FRACTIONATING! Because not all C in soils is the same: some stays, some goes, and some is just there for the party.
This will help us understand how MAOM & aggregation can lock away carbon into soils!
This will help us understand how MAOM & aggregation can lock away carbon into soils!
LAST THING: There's also reasonable doubt that MAOM in soils can/does saturate. Most soil C is very depleted (lots of storage space), & even then, MAOM sticks to minerals, & then more C sticks to itself. Forming one big sticky, permanent surface of soil C https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10533-007-9103-5
