Ihasusta et al. (2026): Choosing the appropriate methodology to monitor soil organic carbon (SOC) in croplands: aligning methods with evolving monitoring reporting verification (MRV) frameworks
Ainhoa Ihasusta, Ahmad Al Bitar, Niels H. Batjes, Fenny van Egmond et al., IN: Taylor & Francis, https://doi.org/10.1080/17583004.2026.2638317
Monitoring soil organic carbon (SOC) has gained significant recognition, not only for national greenhouse gas inventories but also for voluntary carbon markets and agri-environmental policies. This has amplified the need for accurate, continuous, and cost-effective SOC stock monitoring from field to national scales. Consequently, methodological frameworks have emerged to address these diverse needs. They rely on measurement and/or modeling of the SOC, considering several complexities (Tiers 1, 2 and 3), combined or not with remote sensing. However, practical implementation guidelines for choosing the most suitable monitoring approach for specific contexts and purposes remain incomplete. Therefore, this study analyses current SOC monitoring methodologies for croplands and proposes a decision tree to help MRV stakeholders select the monitoring strategy considered most appropriate for their context.