ABSTRACT
The main objective of this chapter is to evaluate the potential for managing soil aggregation for the storage and sequestration of organic matter under cool, humid climatic conditions. As organic concentration appears to be relatively uniform across aggregate size fractions, the level of water-stable macroaggregation should provide an estimation of the amount of organic stored and physically protected in the soil, especially the labile fractions. A Beneficial effects of perennial forages on soil macroaggregation are well recognized. In some cases cover crops and rotation with a legume or a grass-legume mixture significantly improved soil macroaggregation. Agricultural management practices, such as use of perennial forages and organic amendments, can significantly increase soil macroaggregation and C storage. Generally, the C storage potential of cool, humid agricultural soils in eastern Canada is mainly associated with type of vegetation. The role of soil structure modification as expressed by aggregate degradation in the loss of soil organic C upon cultivation is still unclear.
