p. 19-33 Victoria, R., Banwart, S., Black, H., Ingram, J., Joosten, H. Milne, E. and Noellemeyer, E. Synopsis of the Article
According to Victoria et al. (2012), the global demand for food has escalated by over 50% with the demand for water and energy heightening by up to 60% and 45% respectively. These increases have consequentially mounted a tremendous pressure on the world’s soils. In this light, the authors contend that soil plays an all-important role in the stabilization of the world’s climate, water supplies and most importantly biodiversity.
With an intention to emphasize the importance of soil carbon, the authors are keen to assert that there are plethora types of soils that have been empirically described by scientists in light of their distinctive composition, living organisms, moisture content, organic matter and gases. To delimit the importance of soil, the authors first describe the major ecosystem service; supporting services, regulating services, provisional services, and cultural services. Supporting services pertains to services that support the delivery of other services in the ecosystem. Regulating service encompass services like regulation of soil erosion, for instance soil organic prevent soil erosion by allowing water infiltration hence minimizing surface run off. Again, soil carbon stock is integrally the world largest reservoir of carbon hence plays a pertinent role in the maintenance of climate. Provisioning services, on the other hand, touch on the provisioning role fo the soil of providing plants with the requirements for making their own food. Likewise, cultural entails the soils ability to preserve archeological remains. Attention is drawn to the mummified body of the Tollund Man who lived several years ago whose remains were found in peatland in Denmark.
The article further highlights some of the factors, such moisture, soil texture and clay type, that determine the global distribution of soil carbon relief.
In addition to the description of the factors that determine the distribution of soil carbon, the article also talks about modeling and measuring techniques used in the quantification of soil carbon level in any given type of soil. The authors underscore that the level of soil carbon in different types of soils found in different parts of the world vary significantly. However, it openly acknowledged that such methods are still yet to be devised conclusively , and the existing ne amended.
Even as soil carbon plays a central role in the world, soil carbon stocks remain very vulnerable to human activities. Soil carbon stocks vary from time to time as a result of alterations like changes in the land cover, deforestation, land cover, urban development and agriculture. The depletion of soil carbon stocks overly worries experts who are currently trying to empirically ascertain the effects of such a depletion. Nonetheless, the consequences of soil carbon loss and the potential for soil carbon gain are also highlighted in the article. According to the authors, lose of soil carbon is one of causes of the decline in the atmospheric carbon dioxide gas. The decline also causes general loss of soil functioning as well as soil biodiversity. With in mind that soils volume dictate the amount of water stored in the soil, the article purports that degradation of soil structure is to blame for the decline of the amount of water stored under soil as well as poor drainage oft exhibited in terms of flooding, over flow of water and reduction in ground water recharge during the rainy season. Besides, soil carbon loss also leads to lose of soil nutrients (organic and inorganic). This is because heightens the preponderance of loose soil and minerals to be washed away through soil erosion.
However, to Victoria et al. (2012), owing to the important role of soil carbon and soil organic content, measures should be taken so as minimize the rate at which they are lost from the soil. This is achievable through the minimization of the rate at which soil organic contents are oxidized and reduction in the rate at which soil is removed for other purposed for instance construction and horticultural production. Soil carbon can also be preserve through prevention of soil erosion, contour cultivations planting cover crops, and creation of shelter belts. However, the authors caution that care should be taken so as not to cover the soil surface completely as this might force soil microbes to respire anaerobically- a situation that can lead to the accumulation of methane in the soil which is a widely known green house gas. Additionally, soil carbon level can be increased by increasing carbon inputs in the soil. Optimal plant productivity greatly enhances the chances of such an endeavor succeeding.
The article also offers a way forward in the management of soil carbon for multiple benefits. Notwithstanding, the author accommodate that the world is experiencing a rapid and an unprecedented changes in the use of land because of populations increase that translates to increase in the demand for food, water, energy and land for living. Conventionally, this demand has always been counteracted by converting more land into agricultural land; conversion that have implications on the soil carbon stocks. In a warning tone, the authors attest that if the current trend is not checked in time, the world is in for a great lose of soil carbon- a lose that will have a more pronounced effect on the world’s climate and serious degradation of global soil which will be overly expensive to meliorate. Assertively, soil carbon stock gets depleted more rapidly as a result of land use and unsustainable management. These problems can only to tackled effectively through proper soil management practices.
Concisely, this article discusses the benefits of soil carbon and some extent the benefits of soil organic content. The articles talks about some of the crucial services offered by soil organic content and soil carbon. Additionally, the article describes some of the consequences of declining soil carbon content as well as some of the ways of minimizing soil carbon lose. Similarly, the article aptly highlights some of the negative effects of the global population growth on top of some of the factors the determine the vulnerability of soil carbon and soil organic content.
Effect of the authors’ opinion on the article
I must admit that the writing approach that the authors take in order to pass their information makes it really hard to differentiate the authors’ comments from fact. This problem is further enhanced by the fact the authors, though have given a bibliographic list, did not make proper use of in-text citation. However, some portions of the article have been cited properly but still identifying the authors’ opinions in these portions is an arduous task.
Reference
Victoria, R., Banwart, S., Black, H., Ingram, J., Joosten, H. Milne, E. and Noellemeyer, E. “Benefits of Soil Carbon: Managing soils for multiple economic, societal,” Unep Year Book: 19-33, 2012
