Project description
Novel cropping systems to protect organic carbon in soil
Soil organic carbon (SOC) is a vital component of soil that plays a critical role in maintaining agricultural sustainability and in potentially mitigating climate change. Unfortunately, traditional intensive cultivation methods have significantly reduced SOC levels in the soil. The EU-funded InBPSOC project aims to develop innovative cropping systems that will protect and increase SOC stocks while increasing biomass production. To achieve this, it will conduct ongoing long-term unique field experiments to investigate the effects and driving mechanisms of innovative cropping systems on biomass production and SOC stocks. The project’s results will serve as a guide for future policies and contribute to the development of sustainable cropping systems for farmers.
Objective
Soil organic carbon (SOC) constitutes the largest C stocks in the terrestrial ecosystems, playing critical roles in maintaining agricultural sustainability and in potentially mitigating climate change. However, there is a potential conflict between SOC storage and agricultural activities, since many traditional intensive cultivation methods have led to significant reductions in SOC storage. In this project, we will investigate the effects and driving mechanisms of innovative cropping systems on biomass production and SOC stocks simultaneously based on ongoing long-term unique field experiments on innovative cropping systems available at the host department. Multiple research methods will be utilized in this project, including data mining of long-term data records, inverse modelling and soil incubation, meta-analysis, and structure equation modelling. Our key objective is developing innovative cropping systems that allow to protect and increase SOC stocks while increasing biomass production under climate change. Results from the current study will provide crucial information for policy developments and will contribute to the development of sustainable cropping systems for farmers of the future.
Fields of science
Keywords
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)Coordinator
8000 Aarhus C
Denmark