Grace, P.R., S.H. Gage, M. Colunga-Garcia, G.P. Robertson, and G.R. Safir
Presented at the ASM at Estes Park (2006-09-01 to 2012-09-23 )
The sequestration of carbon in agricultural soils, now depleted in organic matter, is a well-known strategy for mitigating the build up of CO2 in the atmosphere. Full-cost accounting of the effects of agriculture on greenhouse gas emissions is necessary to quantify the relative contributions of all agricultural inputs and operations in determining net carbon sequestration. Such an analysis includes CO2, CH4 and N2O emissions associated with nitrogen fertilizer production and application, agricultural liming, pesticides and fuel use. By evaluating all sources in terms of their global warming potential (GWP) policy makers are provided with the best available information for developing cost-effective, potentially large scale options for greenhouse gas mitigation in agriculture systems. Soil carbon storage is heavily dependent on the soil type, climate and the quantity and quality of organic material returned to the soil. The magnitude of carbon sequestration in response to management interventions is therefore site specific. Targeting of strategies promoting sequestration to highly responsive locations will ensure maximum returns. Identification of these locations across a region is possible through the use of simulations models which mimic terrestrial carbon dynamics in both space and time. Modeling at regional scales is complex, and thus has only been attempted by research groups with the necessary synergy of biology, modeling and computer science skills. A Modeling Applications Integrative Framework (MASIF) was specifically developed to process the large amounts of spatial-temporal data necessary for regional scale simulation experiments. We have incorporated a simple, but proven terrestrial carbon dynamics model to MASIF to assess the impact of tillage options on carbon storage in agricultural soils of the North Central Region (NCR) over the next century.
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