Socioeconomic Dimensions of Soil Carbon Dynamics

Harris, C.K., E.A. Paul, and G.P. Robertson

Presented at the All Scientist Meeting (1996-07-16 to 1996-07-17 )

Within any given biome and soil association soil carbon is a reasonable if rough indicator of ecosystem fertility, is differentially sensitive to various management strategies, and represents an important global store of carbon that has changed dramatically over the past century. In a project beginning this year we propose to examine the social-biological interface at which many of these changes have been and are not being enacted.Our research design matches a sample of operating farms to experimental row-crop treatments within the KBS LTER Site. We will use in-depth interviews to obtain data on the agronomic management regimes for specific fields on the selected farms for the same time period, and each selected farm operator’s current knowledge and attitudes about the linkages between management and soil organic matter. Finally, measurements of principal carbon indicators in the selected fields will both assess the correspondence with the experimental treatments at the KBS LTER Site and demonstrate the impacts of the social and economic variables.The proposed research will focus on four significant dimensions of land use and soil management. The first of these is the level of external inputs into the agroecosystem. The second dimension of land use and soil management is tillage. The third dimension of agronomic management is crop sequencing. the fourth dimension of agronomic management is the shift between forest cover and plant cover.Each of the four dimensions of agricultural soil and rural land management represents a set of alternatives available to the farm operator or land owner. While it is this person who makes the decisions that result in the implementation of a particular combination of alternatives, the decision is influenced both by microlevel characteristics of the individual and the farm, and by macrolevel factors of local and national governments. The proposed research will focus on five important factors. The first factor is the individual’s beliefs and attitudes about soil processes and soil management. The second factor influencing soil management decisions is the market to which a farmer has access. The third factor influencing soil management decisions is farm programs; most of these are implemented at the national level. Policies which affect farmland and forest land management, the fourth factor, are set by national, state and local governments. Finally social and economic institutions establish the structural context in which farm operators and rural residents make decisions about soil management and land use.

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