Search results for ""Author John M. Kimble""

Much attention has been given to above ground biomass and its potential as a carbon sink, but in a mature forest ecosystem 40 to 60 percent of the stored carbon is below ground. As increasing numbers of forests are managed in a wide diversity of climates and soils, the importance of forest soils as a potential carbon sink grows. The Potential of U.S. Forest Soils to Sequester Carbon and Mitigate the Greenhouse Effect provides researchers and policy makers with an understanding of soil processes and their relation to carbon dynamics, as well as strategies to monitor and techniques to measure forest soil carbon. It covers the effects of management on soils in a wide range of forest ecosystems together with policy options that are effective and benefit both the forest community and the over all environment. This valuable reference provides forest managers, urban planners, land owners, policy makers, and the general public with guidance that will allow for a holistic approach to land management, environmental quality, and improved forest productivity.

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This report assesses the potential of U.S. cropland to sequester carbon, concluding that properly applied soil restorative processes and best management practices can help mitigate the greenhouse effect by decreasing the emissions of greenhouse gases from U.S. agricultural activities and by making U.S. cropland a major sink for carbon sequestration.Topics include:Describe the greenhouse processes and global tends in emissions as well as the three principal components of anthropogenic global warming potential Present data on U.S. emissions and agriculture's related role Examines the soil organic carbon (SOC) pool in soils of the U.S. and its loss due to cultivation Provides a reference for the magnitude of carbon sequestration potential Analyzes the primary processes governing greenhouse gas emission from the pedosphere Establishes a link between SOC content and soil quality Outlines strategies for mitigating emissions from U.S. cropland Discusses soil erosion management Assesses the potential of using cropland to create biomass for direct fuel to produce power Details the potential for sequestering carbon by intensifying prime agricultural landThe Potential of U.S. Cropland to Sequester Carbon and Mitigate the Greenhouse Effect provides an exceptional framework for the adoption of science-based management methods on U.S. cropland, encouraging appropriate agricultural practices for the sustainable use of our natural resources and the improvement of our nation's environment.

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