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CONSERVATION TILLAGE IMPACTS ON NATIONAL SOIL AND ATMOSPHERIC CARBON LEVELS
Citation:
Kern, J. AND M. Johnson. CONSERVATION TILLAGE IMPACTS ON NATIONAL SOIL AND ATMOSPHERIC CARBON LEVELS. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/J-93/153.
Description:
Soil organic matter is the largest global terrestrial C pool and is a source of CO2, CH4 and other greenhouse gases. hanges in soil organic C (SOC) content and fossil fuel C emissions in response to conversion of conventional tillage to conservation tillage in the contiguous USA for field crop production by the year 2020 were projected by developing a model based on published data, and geographic databases of current conservation tillage usage and agricultural SOC. hree scenarios of conservation tillage use, 27% (current usage), and 57% (low), and 76% (high) of field crops planted were considered. he magnitude of conservation tillage adoption projected in this study are within what appears to be economically and agronomically feasible and they are likely to occur regardless of the importance society places on C sequestration. onversion of land to conservation tillage alone is not likely to sequester sufficient C to offset the impact of C released by fossil fuel consumption. hen combined with other strategies of C sequestration and fossil fuel emission reduction, widespread implementation of conservation tillage practices may be significant in mitigating the impact of global climate change.