Mapping Soil Carbon Sequestration in Saskatchewan Cropland
Term: 4 years
Status: Ongoing
Researcher(s): Angela Bedard-Haughn, Preston Sorenson, U of S; Mervin St. Luce, AAFC; Steven Webbs, GIFS
SaskOilseeds Investment: $121,440
Total Project Cost: $1,956,000
Funding Partners: ADF, Sask Wheat
Objective
Measurement and mapping of soil carbon stocks and soil texture.
Modelling the effects of land use and climate on soil carbon stocks.
Predictive modelling of carbon stock change potential under future scenarios.
Project Description
Past research clearly shown that management practices such as no-till have led to an increase in soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks in the Canadian Prairies. However, recent analysis of data from Hebert Grain Ventures has highlighted that SOC stocks are sensitive to short term climate cycles, and modelling work suggests that no-till gains have significant spatial variability across the province.
We hypothesize that in the same way that we are experiencing a general warming trend but can still have years that fall above- or below-normal along that trend line, soil carbon also fluctuates. Producers can be doing everything “right”, and seeing a general increase in carbon stocks, but measurements in a given year or given location might be higher or lower than expected. While we have a good general understanding of how SOC stocks change on average, we do not have the experimental data to understand the full extent of SOC temporal and spatial variability.
If we can reliably explain more of that variability, we can be more confident in our assessment of management practices and more confident in the quantification of our carbon footprint at both the local and regional scale.