Soinne et al. (2024): High organic carbon content constricts the potential for stable organic carbon accrual in mineral agricultural soils in Finland
Helena Soinne, Matti Hyyrynen, Medilė Jokubė, Riikka Keskinen, Jari Hyväluoma, Sampo Pihlainen, Kari Hyytiäinen, Arttu Miettinen, Kimmo Rasa, Riitta Lemola, Eetu Virtanen, Jussi Heinonsalo, Jaakko Heikkinen IN: Journal of Environmental Management, 352, 119945, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.119945
The authors used agronomic soil test results representing c. 95% of the farmed land area in Finland to estimate the potential of the uppermost 15 cm soil layer of mineral agricultural soils to sequester organic carbon (OC) and to contribute to the mitigation of climate change. The estimation of the maximum capacity of mineral matter to protect OC in stable mineral-associated form was based on the theory that clay and fine-sized (fines = clay + silt) particles have a limited capacity to protect OC. In addition, they used the clay/OC and fines/OC ratios to identify areas with a risk of erosion and reduced productivity, thus indicating priority areas potentially benefitting from the increased soil OC contents.