ABSTRACT
This chapter examines processes determining the carbon (C) balance in agricultural soils, focusing in particular on the role of land management practices in influencing these processes. It provides a perspective on which practices are most likely to be important for shifting the balance towards greater storage of C in soils and reducing the net emission of carbon dioxide (CO2) and maximizing the net capture of methane (CH4) in soil. The chapter examines the interactions between management and environmental controls on soil C under conditions of global climate change. In temperate regions, early agriculture was primarily based on slash-and-burn methods. The main objective of agroecosystem management is to produce dry matter which, in turn, affects the amount of non-harvested organic matter returned to soil. The decomposition rates of soil C and crop residues are controlled by a variety of factors including soil abiotic conditions, residue composition, and soil disturbance, all of which can be affected, directly and indirectly, by management.
