Soil Carbon Sequestration in the Context of Climate Change

Soil carbon (C) sequestration is one of the major pathways to reverse climate change and reduce its deleterious impact on human civilization. Removal of atmospheric CO2 into other stable pools with long residence time is called C sequestration. To sequester C in soil of agricultural, grazing, forest, and wetlands, adaptation of established and proven technologies is necessary. In this chapter, details of those processes are described with their advantages and disadvantages. Inclusion of leguminous species, use of inputs including fertilizer and irrigation water, and residue retention are important practices in sequestering more C in agricultural, forest, and grazing lands. Managing wetland C is complex and needs to be dealt with caution. Engineering and chemical technologies are new concepts and are mostly at the research stage. The economics and practical adaptability of these practices are yet to be established.