The Basics of Soil Organic Carbon – What Should You Know About It?Â
There is no denying that organic matter is a source and store of plant nutrients. It binds the soil aggregates, making them highly resistant to erosion. Also, it offers energy to the soil organisms, increasing the activity and ability to cycle nutrients while competing with pests and pathogens. The microbial activity increases biomass production by providing nutrients and improving water infiltration, drainage, and soil retention for the growing plants. Soil organic carbon in the USA is a mix of organic compounds that changes with different stages of decomposition in complex interactions with soil biota, nutrient cycles, and water. It is continually evolving and leaving the soil. Â
How Does Organic Carbon Get into the Soil?Â
Plant photosynthesis converts atmospheric carbon dioxide into plant sugars, feeding shoots and roots. When the plants grow, the roots and additional fungi and other microorganisms develop soil organic carbon. The carbon in the root exudates and offers a valuable food supply to the soil. The biota, bacteria, fungi, and larger biota grow and reproduce, consuming a lot of organic carbon and transforming it into other forms known as humus. Â
Soil biota activity concentrates and recycles the nutrients. More than half of the organic carbon inputs are broken down by the microbes and returned to the atmosphere as Carbon Dioxide. Some remaining organic carbon stays within the soil as the stable organic-mineral complexes. The carbon input also stops if a plant's production slows down or stops. The soil biota consumes the stored soil carbon sources to satisfy their energy needs; therefore, the soil organic carbon declines. Â
How Much of the Organic Carbon Inputs Stay within the Soil?Â
The primary factors affecting the soil's overall amount of organic carbon are the soil type, climate, management, and soil biota. All soils have a specific capacity to store organic carbon. However, sandy soils have a lesser capability than clayey soils. Clay particles and aggregates can shield organic matter from microbes' breakdown, slowing the loss of organic carbon through decomposition. Â
The soil's capability to store organic carbon based on the clay content is rarely achieved because climate and management practices influence the organic carbon supply in the soil. In dryland agriculture, rainfall has the highest influence on plant production, which helps add organic carbon to the soil. Soils in areas of high rainfall tend to have higher organic carbon storage than those in lower rainfall regions.Â
Soil management also plays a crucial role in determining how much of the USA's soil organic carbon will stay in the soil because it influences the type and amount of organic matter produced. Crop selection, provision of nutrients and soil amendments, tillage practices, residue management, and pest management also influence the soil's organic content. Losses of organic carbon occur from topsoil erosion and removal of plant and animal products. Â













