Retrospective and prospective dynamics of soil carbon sequestration in Sahelian agrosystems in Senegal

Loum, M. and Viaud, V. and Fouad, Y. and et al, . (2014) Retrospective and prospective dynamics of soil carbon sequestration in Sahelian agrosystems in Senegal. Journal of Arid Environments, 100-01. pp. 100-105.

[img] PDF - Published Version
Restricted to ICRISAT researchers only

Abstract

Changes in organic carbon after deforestation in Sahelian soils in Senegal were simulated both retrospectively and prospectively with the RothC model. Retrospective simulation modeling allowed us to recreate organic carbon dynamics during the exploitation period of a cropping system from 1991 to 2009. Beginning with an initial carbon stock equal to that measured in the undisturbed forest (14.8t C ha−1), predicted carbon stocks after 18 years of different crop rotations were of the same order as the mean stock measured in the cropped zone in 2009 (8.1 t C ha−1). The sustainability of the cropping systems that may be established in the future was evaluated with prospective simulation from 2009 to 2080, taking climate change scenarios into account. Rotations of continuous crops, even with fallow periods, led to loss carbon stock of about 5 and 6 t C ha−1, which may involve decrease in land productivity in the long term. Agroforestry systems generated relatively large gains in soil organic carbon, which could render local cropping systems sustainable. The effect of climate change on changes in soil organic carbon appeared of secondary importance compared to inputs of carbon from spontaneous or sown vegetation associated with crop rotations.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: Climate change; Cropping systems; Deforestation; Sahelian agrosystem; Soil organic carbon; Sustainability
Author Affiliation: Agrocampus Ouest, UMR 1069, Soil Agro- and hydrosystem Spatialization, 65 rue de Saint-Brieuc, F-35000 Rennes, France
Subjects: Soil Science and Microbiology
Divisions: General
Depositing User: Ms Ishrath Durafsha
Date Deposited: 20 Feb 2014 11:00
Last Modified: 20 Feb 2014 11:00
Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jaridenv.2013.10.007
URI: http://eprints.icrisat.ac.in/id/eprint/12567

Actions (login required)

View Item View Item
EPrints Logo
eprints is powered by EPrints 3 which is developed by the School of Electronics and Computer Science at the University of Southampton. More information and software credits.