Managing Soil Carbon
Natural variations in SOM occur as a result of climate, organisms, parent material, time and relief. The greatest contemporary influence has been that of humans; for example, historical SOM in Australian agricultural soils may have been twice the present range that is typically from 1.6 to 4.6 per cent.
It has long been encouraged that farmers adjust practices to maintain or increase the organic component in the soil—on one hand, practices that hasten oxidation of carbon, such as burning crop stubbles or over-cultivation are discouraged; on the other hand, incorporation of organic material, such as manuring has been encouraged. Increasing soil carbon is not a straightforward matter—it is made complex by the relative activity of soil biota, which can consume and release carbon and are made more active by the addition of nitrogen fertilizers.
Read more about this topic: Soil Carbon
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