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CSIRO Soil Carbon Sequestration Potential: A review for Australian agriculture - key findings
Key findings
Page 2 of 3 Key finding 1: Past conversion of native land to agriculture has depleted soil organic carbon by 40-60 per cent but this provides significant future potential. The legacy clearing of native lands for agriculture has typically depleted soil organic carbon levels by 40-60 per cent of pre-clearing levels releasing at least 150 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Recapturing even a small fraction of the soil carbon levels through land management changes would provide a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions Key finding 2: Soils used for crop production in Australia may only be able to slow or halt the rate of carbon losses, and not sequester additional atmospheric carbon. The majority of available field evidence suggests that management shifts within existing agricultural systems can only mitigate the rate of loss of soil carbon. This may be due to the fact that carbon stocks in many regions of Australia are still responding to initial land clearing. Key finding 3: Improved crop management practices have resulted in a relative gain on average of 0.20.3 tonnes carbon per hectare per year. These average gains of 0.20.3 tonnes carbon per hectare per year relative to conventional management in Australian soils are achieved through improved management practices such as enhanced rotation, adoption of no-till and improved stubble management. Key finding 4: Pasture improvements have generally resulted in relative gains of 0.10.3 tonnes carbon per hectare per year. Limited field data indicates that soil organic carbon gains of this magnitude can generally be achieved through pasture improvements such as: fertilisation, liming, irrigation and sowing of more productive grass varieties. Key finding 5: Application of organic materials has potential to increase soil carbon levels.
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Large additions of organic materials (manures, green wastes, biosolids) to soils will build soil carbon levels. The rate of increase being primarily influenced by both the composition of the material, as well as the amount and duration of the inputs. Key finding 6: The greatest soil carbon gains are likely to follow major shifts in management. Major shifts in management such as conversion from cropping to permanent pasture and retirement and restoration of degraded lands will likely result in larger soil carbon gains. Available evidence suggests relative gains of 0.30.6 tonnes carbon per hectare per year are possible for conversion of cultivated land to permanent pasture. Key finding 7: Soil carbon improvements are greatest in the first 5-10 years and then diminish over time. The largest soil carbon gains were generally found within the first 5-10 years after a management change and the rate of change was found to drop to zero after 40 years. Download the report at: Soil Carbon Sequestration Potential: A review for Australian agriculture report.

Fast facts
Australian cropping lands are, on average, still losing soil carbon Adoption of many carbon friendly farming practices can mitigate soil carbon losses resulting in avoided emissions relative to business-as-usual Relative gains in soil carbon of 0.1 0.3 tonnes carbon per ha per year were found for most improved management options within existing agricultural systems Larger soil carbon gains are possible for major shifts in land management such as conversion from cropping to permanent pasture and retirement/restoration of land

Contact Information
Dr Jonathan Sanderman (BSc PhD) Research Scientist Phone: +61 8 8273 8135 Email: Jonathan.Sanderman@csiro.au Mr Roger Nicoll Communication Manager Ecosystem Sciences

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Phone: +61 2 6246 4040 Alt Phone: +61 4 0421 3801 Email: roger.nicoll@csiro.au

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