Soil organic carbon in agricultural systems of six countries in East Africa – a literature review of status and carbon sequestration potential

Cropland soils are considered to have the potential to sequester atmospheric CO2 through agronomic best management practices (BMPs). To estimate this potential in East Africa, the authors reviewed 69 published studies from Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, and Burundi assessing the effect o...

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Main Authors: Namirembe, Sara, Piikki, Kristin, Sommer, Rolf, Söderström, Mats, Tessema, Bezaye Dr., Nyawira, Sylvia Sarah
Format: Journal Article
Language:Inglés
Published: Informa UK Limited 2020
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/107386
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author Namirembe, Sara
Piikki, Kristin
Sommer, Rolf
Söderström, Mats
Tessema, Bezaye Dr.
Nyawira, Sylvia Sarah
author_browse Namirembe, Sara
Nyawira, Sylvia Sarah
Piikki, Kristin
Sommer, Rolf
Söderström, Mats
Tessema, Bezaye Dr.
author_facet Namirembe, Sara
Piikki, Kristin
Sommer, Rolf
Söderström, Mats
Tessema, Bezaye Dr.
Nyawira, Sylvia Sarah
author_sort Namirembe, Sara
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Cropland soils are considered to have the potential to sequester atmospheric CO2 through agronomic best management practices (BMPs). To estimate this potential in East Africa, the authors reviewed 69 published studies from Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, and Burundi assessing the effect of land use conversion from native vegetation to cropland on soil organic carbon (SOC) and the extent to which carbon sequestration is feasible through BMPs. Reported losses of SOC in the top 30 cm of the soil profile in short (<10 years), medium (10–25 years), and long (>25 years) term were 6.7 ± 6.0, 13.0 ± 9.2, and 2.8 ± 1.0 t C ha–1 year–1, respectively, for forest-to-cropland; and 16.0, 2.1 ± 2.2 and 0.3 ± 0.8 t C ha–1 year–1 respectively, for woodland-to-cropland conversion. Duration to steady-state SOC was 21–38 years for forest-to-cropland conversion. Short-term SOC sequestration (t C ha–1 year–1) in the 0–30 cm layer as a result of BMPs was 19.7 ± 3.9 from crop residues, 14.8 ± 8.7 from farmyard manure, 3.5 ± 4.5 from inorganic fertilizers, 2.7 from agroforestry, and 2.5 from improved fallow. However, the studies reviewed were mostly short-term and concentrated to a few locations. Future research should address these gaps.
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spelling CGSpace1073862024-10-03T07:40:47Z Soil organic carbon in agricultural systems of six countries in East Africa – a literature review of status and carbon sequestration potential Namirembe, Sara Piikki, Kristin Sommer, Rolf Söderström, Mats Tessema, Bezaye Dr. Nyawira, Sylvia Sarah management farmland soil organic carbon gestion tierras agricolas carbono organico del suelo ecology Cropland soils are considered to have the potential to sequester atmospheric CO2 through agronomic best management practices (BMPs). To estimate this potential in East Africa, the authors reviewed 69 published studies from Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, and Burundi assessing the effect of land use conversion from native vegetation to cropland on soil organic carbon (SOC) and the extent to which carbon sequestration is feasible through BMPs. Reported losses of SOC in the top 30 cm of the soil profile in short (<10 years), medium (10–25 years), and long (>25 years) term were 6.7 ± 6.0, 13.0 ± 9.2, and 2.8 ± 1.0 t C ha–1 year–1, respectively, for forest-to-cropland; and 16.0, 2.1 ± 2.2 and 0.3 ± 0.8 t C ha–1 year–1 respectively, for woodland-to-cropland conversion. Duration to steady-state SOC was 21–38 years for forest-to-cropland conversion. Short-term SOC sequestration (t C ha–1 year–1) in the 0–30 cm layer as a result of BMPs was 19.7 ± 3.9 from crop residues, 14.8 ± 8.7 from farmyard manure, 3.5 ± 4.5 from inorganic fertilizers, 2.7 from agroforestry, and 2.5 from improved fallow. However, the studies reviewed were mostly short-term and concentrated to a few locations. Future research should address these gaps. 2020-01-01 2020-03-04T18:45:31Z 2020-03-04T18:45:31Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/107386 en Open Access Informa UK Limited Namirembe, S.; Piikki, K.; Sommer, R.; Söderström, M.; Tessema, B.; Nyawira, S.S. (2020) Soil organic carbon in agricultural systems of six countries in East Africa – a literature review of status and carbon sequestration potential. South African Journal of Plant and Soil 15 p. ISSN: 0257-1862
spellingShingle management
farmland
soil organic carbon
gestion
tierras agricolas
carbono organico del suelo
ecology
Namirembe, Sara
Piikki, Kristin
Sommer, Rolf
Söderström, Mats
Tessema, Bezaye Dr.
Nyawira, Sylvia Sarah
Soil organic carbon in agricultural systems of six countries in East Africa – a literature review of status and carbon sequestration potential
title Soil organic carbon in agricultural systems of six countries in East Africa – a literature review of status and carbon sequestration potential
title_full Soil organic carbon in agricultural systems of six countries in East Africa – a literature review of status and carbon sequestration potential
title_fullStr Soil organic carbon in agricultural systems of six countries in East Africa – a literature review of status and carbon sequestration potential
title_full_unstemmed Soil organic carbon in agricultural systems of six countries in East Africa – a literature review of status and carbon sequestration potential
title_short Soil organic carbon in agricultural systems of six countries in East Africa – a literature review of status and carbon sequestration potential
title_sort soil organic carbon in agricultural systems of six countries in east africa a literature review of status and carbon sequestration potential
topic management
farmland
soil organic carbon
gestion
tierras agricolas
carbono organico del suelo
ecology
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/107386
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