Understanding soil organic carbon dynamics at larger scales

Publication date: 07/11/2022
Extent: 68 pages

Contributions by: Sebastian Doetterl, ETH Zurich, Switzerland; Rose Abramoff, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, USA; Jean-Thomas Cornelis, University of British Columbia, Canada; Aline Frossard, Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Switzerland; Peter Fiener, Institute of Geography, Augsburg University, Germany; Gina Garland, ETH Zurich and Soil Quality and Use Group, Agroscope, Switzerland; Michael Kaiser, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, USA; Moritz Laub, ETH Zurich, Switzerland; Sophie Opfergelt, Earth and Life Institute, UCLouvain, Belgium; Marijn Van de Broek and Sarah van den Broek, ETH Zurich, Switzerland; and Sophie F. von Fromm, ETH Zurich, Switzerland and Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, Germany

Chapter synopsis: This chapter focuses on the effects of biotic and abiotic factors controlling soil organic carbon dynamics at continental to global scales. On the side of natural effects, it highlights processes that can control carbon inputs, turnover and stabilization in soils. On the side of anthropogenic effects, the chapter focuses on the role of climate change as well as historic and modern land conversion. The chapter also divides anthropogenic effects into direct and indirect disturbances done by humans. Both overarching sections close with a short synthesis.

DOI: 10.19103/AS.2022.0106.05