The Future of Soil Carbon: Its Conservation and Formation

The Future of Soil Carbon: Its Conservation and Formation provides readers with an integrative approach to understanding the important role of organic carbon in soil functioning and fertility. Terrestrial interactions between SOC and complex human-natural systems require new fundamental and applied research into regional and global SOC budgets. This book provides new and synthesized information on the dynamics of SOC in the terrestrial environment. In addition to rigorous state-of-the art on soil science, the book also provides strategies to avoid risks of soil carbon losses.

Soil organic carbon (SOC) is a vital component of soils, with important and far-reaching effects on the functioning of terrestrial ecosystems. Human activities over the last several decades have significantly changed the regional and global balance of SOC, greatly exacerbating global warming and climate change.

1. Soil Carbon in the World: Ecosystem Services Linked to Soil Carbon in Forest and Agricultural Soils 2. Soil Organic Matter in Dryland Ecosystems 3. Clay Minerals - Organic Matter Interactions in Relation to Carbon Stabilization in Soils 4. The Molecular Composition of Humus Carbon: Recalcitrance and Reactivity in Soils 5. SOM and Microbes - What Is Left From Microbial Life 6. Microbial Control of Soil Carbon Turnover 7. Recycling of Organic Wastes to Soil and Its  Effect on Soil Organic Carbon Status 8. Soil Erosion and C Losses: Strategies for Building Soil Carbon 9. The Future of Soil Carbon