Britannica Sources used in this answer

Which land-management practices can increase carbon stored in soils?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Illustration of various geoengineering techniques to address climate change, including carbon capture and storage methods like artificial trees, industrial scrubbers, and deep ocean CO2 storage, as well as solar reflectance strategies such as sulfur aerosols, reflective crops, cloud whitening, and orbital mirrors. The scene shows these interventions applied to land, sea, and atmosphere, with labeled features explaining each process. — Geoengineering Various geoengineering proposals designed to increase solar reflectance or capture and store carbon.

Land-management practices can significantly enhance the capacity of soils to act as carbon sinks, helping to mitigate global warming by sequestering carbon that would otherwise be released as carbon dioxide.12

Key practices include:

No-till farming: By minimizing or eliminating plowing, this method prevents the disruption of soil structure and microbial profiles. This reduces the release of stored carbon into the atmosphere and helps the soil retain moisture and improve aggregate formation.32
Use of Cover Crops: Planting fast-growing annuals or nitrogen-fixing crops like vetch and alfalfa between growing seasons protects the soil from erosion, increases fertility, and adds organic matter.3
Agroforestry: Integrating trees and shrubs into agricultural systems provides long-term carbon sequestration through biomass growth and soil enrichment, while also improving ecosystem resilience.4
Biochar Application: Mixing biochar—a porous charcoal produced via pyrolysis—into soil can sequester carbon in a stable, solid form and act as a fertilizer to boost plant growth.5
Restoration and Management: Improving grazing land management, restoring degraded lands, and rehabilitating organic soils are essential strategies for enhancing terrestrial carbon storage.1