ESTIMATION OF SOIL ORGANIC CARBON STOCKS UNDER DIFFERENT LAND USES TO MITIGATE CLIMATE CHANGE

ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING

This research paper reviews current knowledge on changes in soil organic carbon stocks under different land use in Bewar Block of Mainpuri District, Uttar Pradesh, India. Soil organic carbon (SOC) is prone to changes in land use and climate. It’s role is significant in the climate change because small modifications in the soil carbon status may have diverse effect on the global carbon balance hence on climate change. Changes in land use are the second source of Green house gases emissions to the atmosphere after fossil fuel burning. Understanding soil organic carbon (SOC) status and projection of its future condition is essential for future CO2 emission estimates and management options for storing carbon. So, for a better understanding of the SOC dynamics and its driving factors, we collected data of the Bewar, U.P. India and conducted the digital soil mapping. Firstly, we briefly characterize the Bewar block in different land uses using Remote Sensing technology with the help of ARC GIS software via making LULC characterization in order to know the variety of land uses in the study area. After that laboratory analysis is performed to detect the SOC status along with its TOC stocks, physical and chemical parameters. In this study, we analyzed topsoil samples (0–15 cm) depth and (15-30 cm) depth from 12 locations which were taken in post-monsoon (Nov-Dec) and pre-monsoon season (Apr-May). SOC, Ph, EC. soil bulk density, its structure and porosity were measured to estimate SOC stocks. The results showed that obtained SOC values are below 1% in both the seasons. There is inherently wide spatial variability in SOC contents in Bewar Block with low SOC concentration levels located in Mainpuri District. The mean SOC stock in the Bewar topsoil layer was 151.344 tC ha-1 in post-monsoon season and 145.848 tC ha-1 in pre- monsoon season. It is all over that land use is that the main drivers for SOC changes during this space which affects the climate change. SOC loss was exceptional underneath the land use conversion whereas cropland has goodly potential to sequester SOC. Bound changes in agricultural practices (conservation tillage) or changing some unproductive croplands into grasslands or forest-lands will increase carbon sequestration in soils.

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