Lal, R. Soil Carbon sequestration impacts on global climate change and food security. Science 30, 1623–1627 (2004).
Google Scholar
Stockmann, U. et al. The knowns, known unknowns and unknowns of sequestration of soil organic carbon. Agric. Ecosyst. Environ. 164, 80–99 (2013).
Google Scholar
Batjes, N. H. Total carbon and nitrogen in the soils of the world. Eur. J. Soil Sci. 47(2), 151–163 (1996).
Google Scholar
Michalzik, B., Kalbitz, K., Park, J. H., Solinger, S. & Matzner, E. Fluxes and concentrations of dissolved organic carbon and nitrogen: A synthesis for temperate forests. Biogeochemistry 52, 173–205 (2001).
Malik, A. A. et al. Defining trait-based microbial strategies with consequences for soil carbon cycling under climate change. ISME J. 14, 1–9 (2020).
Google Scholar
Song, M. H. et al. Shifts in priming partly explain impacts of long-term nitrogen input in different chemical forms on soil organic carbon storage. Glob. Chang. Biol. 24, 4160–4172 (2018).
Google Scholar
Okolo, C. C. et al. Priming effect in semi-arid soils of northern Ethiopia under different land use types. Biogeochemistry https://doi.org/10.1007/s10533-022-00905-z (2022).
Google Scholar
Eze, P. N., Udeigwe, T. K. & Stietiya, M. H. Distribution and potential source evaluation of heavy metals in prominent soils of Accra plains, Ghana. Geoderma 156(3–4), 357–362 (2010).
Google Scholar
Eze, P. N., Mbakwe, I. & Okolo, C. C. Ecosystem functions of the soil highlighted in Igbo proverbs. In IUSS Global Soil Proverbs: Cultural Language of the Soil (eds Yang, J. E. et al.) (Schweizerbart and Borntraeger Science Publishers, 2019).
Nottingham, A. T. et al. Adaptation of soil microbial growth to temperature: Using a tropical elevation gradient to predict future changes. Glob. Chang. Biol. 25, 827–838 (2019).
Google Scholar
Paul, K. I., Polglase, P. J., Nyakuengama, J. G. & Khanna, P. K. Change in soil carbon following afforestation. Forest Ecol. Manag. 168, 241–257 (2002).
Batjes, N. H. Options for increasing carbon sequestration in West Africa soils: An exploratory study with special focus on Senegal. Land Degrad. Dev. 12, 131–142 (2001).
Powlson, D. S., Whitmore, A. P. & Goulding, K. W. T. Soil carbon sequestration to mitigate climate change: A critical re-examination to identify the true and the false. Eur. J. Soil Sci. 62, 42–55 (2011).
Google Scholar
Zhang, K., Dang, H., Zhang, Q. & Cheng, X. Soil carbon dynamics following land-use change varied with temperature and precipitation gradients: Evidence from stable isotopes. Glob. Chang. Biol. 21, 2762–2772 (2015).
Google Scholar
Gebresamuel, G. et al. Nutrient Balance of farming systems in tigray, Northern Ethiopia. J. Soil Sci. Plant Nutr. 21, 315–328 (2021).
Google Scholar
IPCC, Climate Change: The physical science basis. Contribution of working Group I to the Fourth Assessment. In Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (Eds. Solomon, S., Quin, D and Manning, M). (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK) (2007).
Yang, Y. S., Xie, J. S. & Sheng, H. The impact of land use/cover change on storage and quality of soil organic carbon in mid-subtropical mountainous area of southern China. J. Geo. Sci. 19, 49–57 (2009).
Akinyemi, F. O., Tlhalerwa, L. T. & Eze, P. N. Land degradation assessment in an African dryland context based on the composite Land Degradation Index and mapping method. Geocarto Int. 36(16), 1838–1854 (2021).
Button, E. S. et al. Deep-C storage: Biological, chemical and physical strategies to enhance carbon stocks in agricultural subsoils. Soil Biol. Biochem. 170, 108697 (2022).
Google Scholar
Rumpel, C. & Kögel-Knabner, I. Deep soil organic matter: A key but poorly understood component of terrestrial C cycle. Plant Soil 338(1), 143–158 (2011).
Google Scholar
Lal, R., Lorenz, K., Huttle, R. F., Schneider, B. U. & Von, B. J. Terrestrial biosphere as a source and sink of atmospheric carbon dioxide. In Recarbonization of the Biosphere: Ecosystems and the Global Cycle (eds Lal, R. et al.) (Springer, 2012).
Shi, Z. et al. The age distribution of global soil carbon inferred from radiocarbon measurements. Nat. Geosci. 13, 555–559 (2020).
Google Scholar
Salome, C., Nunan, N., Pouteau, V., Lerchw, T. Z. & Chenu, C. Carbon dynamics in topsoil and in subsoil may be controlled by different regulatory mechanisms. Glob. Chang. Biol. 16, 416–426 (2010).
Google Scholar
Sithole, N. J., Magwaza, L. S. & Thibaud, G. R. Long-term impact of no-till conservation agriculture and N-fertilizer on soil aggregate stability, infiltration and distribution of C in different size fractions. Soil Tillage Res. 190, 147–156 (2019).
Tashi, S., Singh, B., Keitel, C. & Adams, M. Soil carbon and nitrogen stocks in forests along an altitudinal gradient in the eastern Himalayas and a meta-analysis of global data. Glob. Chang. Biol. 22, 2255–2268 (2016).
Google Scholar
Zhou, Z., Wang, C. & Luo, Y. Effects of forest degradation on microbial communities and soil carbon cycling: A global meta-analysis. Global Ecol. Biogeography 27, 110–124 (2018).
Mhete, M., Eze, P. N., Rahube, T. O. & Akinyemi, F. O. Soil properties influence bacterial abundance and diversity under different land-use regimes in semi-arid environments. Sci. African 7, e00246 (2020).
Walker, T. W. N. et al. Microbial temperature sensitivity and biomass change explain soil carbon loss with warming. Nat. Clim. Chang. 8, 885–889 (2018).
Google Scholar
Murty, D., Kirschbaum, M. U. F., Mcmurtrie, R. E. & Mcgilvray, H. Does conversion of forest to agricultural land change soil carbon and nitrogen? A review of the literature. Glob. Chang. Biol. 8, 105–123 (2002).
Google Scholar
Veldkamp, E., Schmidt, M., Powers, J. S. & Corre, M. D. Deforestation and reforestation impacts on soils in the tropics. Nat. Rev. Earth Environ. 1, 590–605 (2020).
Google Scholar
Kebonye, N. M., Eze, P. N., Ahado, S. K. & John, K. Structural equation modeling of the interactions between trace elements and soil organic matter in semiarid soils. Intl. J. Environ. Sci. Technol. 17(4), 2205–2214 (2020).
Google Scholar
Del Galdo, L., Six, J., Peressotti, A. & Cotrufo, M. F. Assessing the impact of land-use change on soil C sequestration in agricultural soils by means of organic matter fraction and stable C isotopes. Glob. Chang. Biol. 9, 1204–1213 (2003).
Google Scholar
Lal, R. Carbon sequestration in dry land ecosystems of West Asia and North Africa. Land Degrad. Dev. 13, 45–59 (2002).
Gebresamuel, G., Singh, B. R., Mitiku, H., Borresen, T. & Lal, R. Carbon Stocks in Ethiopian Soils in relation to land use and soil management. Land Degrad. Dev. 19(4), 351–367 (2008).
Fisseha, I., Mats, O. & Karl, S. Effect of land use changes on soil carbon status of some soil types in the Ethiopian Rift Valley. J. Drylands 4(1), 289–299 (2011).
Shiferaw, A., Hans, H. & Gete, Z. A review on soil carbon sequestration in Ethiopia to Mitigate land degradation and climate change. J. Environ. Earth Sci. 3(12), 187–201 (2013).
Bazezew, M. N., Teshome, S. & Eyale, B. Above- and below-ground reserved carbon in danaba community forest of Oromia Region, Ethiopia: Implications for CO2 emission balance. Am. J. Environ. Prot. 4(2), 75–82 (2015).
Berihu, T. et al. Soil carbon and nitrogen losses following deforestation in Ethiopia. Agron. Sust. Dev. 37, 1 (2017).
Google Scholar
Gebresamuel, G. et al. Changes in soil organic carbon stock and nutrient status after conversion of pasture land to cultivated land in semi-arid areas of northern Ethiopia. Arch. Agron. Soil Sci. https://doi.org/10.1080/03650340.2020.1823372 (2022).
Google Scholar
Hoyle, F. C., Baldock, J. A. & Murphy, D. V. Soil organic carbon: Role in rainfed farming systems: With particular reference to Australian Conditions. In Rainfed Farming Systems (eds Tow, P. et al.) (Springer, 2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-9132-2_14.
Google Scholar
Mekuria, W. et al. Restoration of degraded landscapes for ecosystem services in North-Western Ethiopia. Heliyon 4, e00764. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2018 (2018).
Google Scholar
Okolo, C. C. et al. Assessing the sustainability of land use management of Northern Ethiopian drylands by various indicators for soil health. Ecol. Indic. 112, 106092. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2020.106092 (2020).
Google Scholar
WRB. International Union of Soil Science Working Group. In World Reference Base for Soil Resources 2014, update 2015 International soil classification system for naming soils and creating legends for soil maps. World Soil Resources Reports No. 106. FAO, Rome (2014).
NMA 2018. National Metrological Agency (NMA), 2018. The National Metrological Agency of Ethiopia Mekelle center, Tigray Regional State, Mekelle, Ethiopia.
Anikwe, M. A. N., Obi, M. E. & Agbim, N. N. Effect of crop and soil management practices soil compactibility in maize and groundnut plots in a Paleustult in Southeastern Nigeria. Plant Soils. 253, 457–465 (2003).
Google Scholar
Anikwe, M. A. N. Carbon storage in soils of southeastern Nigeria under different management practices. Carbon Bal. Manag. https://doi.org/10.1186/1750-0680-5-5 (2010).
Google Scholar
IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories. In Vol. 4: Agriculture, Forestry and other Land Use (eds. Eggleston, S., Buendia, K., Miwa, K., Ngara, T. and Tanabe, K.) (Institute for Global Environmental Strategies, 2006).
McKenzie, N., Ryan, P., Fogarty, P. & Wood, J. Sampling, measurement and analytical protocols for carbon estimation in soil, litter and coarse woody debris. National Carbon Accounting System Technical Report No. 14. Australian Greenhouse Office, Canberra (2000).
Nelson, D. W. & Sommers, L. E. Total carbon, total organic carbon and organic matter. In Methods of Soil Analysis. Part 3: Chemical Methods. Agronomy Monograph No. 9 (Ed. Sparks, D.L) 961–1010. (American Society of Agronomy, 1996).
Bremner, J. M. & Mulvaney, C. S. Nitrogen-total. In Chemical and Microbiological Properties (eds Keeney, D. R. et al.) 595–624 (American Society of Agronomy and Soil Science Society of America, 1982).
McLean, E. O. Soil pH and lime requirement. In Methods of Soil Analysis, Part 2: Chemical and Microbiological Properties. 2nd edn. Agronomy monograph No. 9 (Eds. Page, A.L., Miller, R.H and Keeney, D.R). 199–224. (American Society of Agronomy, 1982).
Rhoades, J. D. Cation exchange capacity. In Methods of Soil Analysis: Part 2 Chemical and Microbial Properties. Agronomy Monograph No. 9. (Eds. Page, A.L., Miller, R.H and Keeney, D.R) pp. 149–157 (American Society of Agronomy, 1982).
Blake, G. R. & Hartge, K. H. Bulk density. In Methods of Soil Analysis. Part 1: Physical and Mineralogical Properties. 2nd edn. Agronomy Monograph No. 9 (ed. Klute, A) 363–382. (American Society of Agronomy, 1986).
Gee, G. W. & Bauder, J. W. Particle size analysis. In Methods of Soil Analysis. Part 1: Physical and Mineralogical Properties. 2nd edn. Agronomy Monograph No. 9. (Ed. A Klute) 91–100. (American Society of Agronomy, 1986).
Gelaw, A. M., Singh, B. R. & Lal, R. Soil organic carbon and total nitrogen stocks under different land uses in a semi-arid watershed in Tigray, Northern Ethiopia. Agric. Ecosyst. Environ. 188, 256–263 (2014).
Puget, P. & Lal, R. Soil organic carbon and nitrogen in a Mollisol in Central Ohio as affected by tillage and land use. Soil Tillage Res. 80, 201–213 (2005).
Chan, Y. Increasing soil organic carbon of agricultural land. Primefact 735, 1–5 (2008).
Worku, G., Bantider, A. & Temesgen, H. Effects of land use/land cover change on some soil physical and chemical properties in Ameleke micro-watershed Gedeo and Borena Zones. South Ethiopia. J. Environ. Earth Sci. 4, 13–24 (2014).
Assefa, D. et al. Deforestation and land use strongly effect soil organic carbon and nitrogen stock in Northwest Ethiopia. CATENA 153, 89–99 (2017).
Google Scholar
Gessesse, T. A., Khamzina, A., Gebresamuel, G. & Amelung, W. Terrestrial carbon stocks following 15 years of integrated watershed management intervention in semi-arid Ethiopia. CATENA 190, 104543 (2020).
Google Scholar
Haileslassie, A., Priess, J., Veldkamp, E., Teketay, D. & Lesschen, J. P. Assessment of soil nutrient depletion and its spatial variability on smallholders’ mixed farming systems in Ethiopia using partial versus full nutrient balances. Agric. Ecosyst. Environ. 108, 1–16 (2005).
Lemenih, M., Lemma, B. & Teketay, D. Changes in soil carbon and total nitrogen following reforestation of previously cultivated land in the highlands of Ethiopia. Ethiopian J. Sci. 28(2), 99–108 (2005).
Lemenih, M., Karltun, E. & Olsson, M. Soil organic matter dynamics after deforestation along a farm field chronosequences in southern highlands of Ethiopia. Agric. Ecosyst. Environ. 109, 9–19 (2005).
Okebalama, C. B., Igwe, C. A. & Okolo, C. C. Soil organic carbon levels in soils of contrasting land uses in Southeastern Nigeria. Trop. Subtrop. Agroecosyst. 20, 493–504 (2017).
Google Scholar
Nwite, J. N., Orji, J. E. & Okolo, C. C. Effect of different land use systems on soil carbon storage and structural indices in Abakaliki, Nigeria. Indian J. Ecol. 45(3), 522–527 (2018).
Don, A., Schumacher, J. & Freibauer, A. Impact of tropical land-use change on soil organic carbon stocks–a meta-analysis. Glob. Chang. Biol. 17, 1658–1670 (2011).
Google Scholar
Zinn, Y. L., Marrenjo, G. J. & Silva, C. A. Soil C: N ratos are unresponsive to land use change in Brazil: A comparative analysis. Agric. Ecosyst. Environ. 255, 62–72 (2018).
Google Scholar
Lou, Y. L., Xu, M. G., Chen, X. N., He, X. H. & Zhao, K. Stratification of soil organic C, N and C: N ratio as affected by conservation tillage in two maize fields of China. CATENA 95, 124–130 (2012).
Google Scholar
Xiao, X., Kuang, X., Sauer, T. J., Heitman, J. L. & Horton, R. Bare soil carbon dioxide fluxes with time and depth determined by high-resolution gradient-based measurements and surface chambers. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. 79, 1073–1083 (2015).
Google Scholar
Wang, X. et al. Forest soil profile inversion and mixing change the vertical stratification of soil CO2 concentration without altering soil surface CO2 Flux. Forests 10, 192 (2019).
Bates, C. T. et al. Conversion of marginal land into switchgrass conditionally accrues soil carbon but reduces methane consumption. ISME J. 16, 10 (2021).
Slessarev, E. W. et al. Quantifying the effects of switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) on deep organic C stocks using natural abundance 14C in three marginal soils. GCB Bioenergy 12, 834–847 (2020).
Google Scholar
Balesdent, J., Besnard, E., Arrouays, D. & Chenu, C. The dynamics of carbon in particle size fractions of soil in a forest-cultivation sequence. Plant Soil 201, 49–57 (1998).
Google Scholar
Birch, H. F. & Friend, M. T. The organ matter and nitrogen status of east African soils. J. Soil Sci. 7, 156–167 (1956).
Google Scholar
Deng, L., Zhu, G., Tang, Z. & Shangguan, Z. Global patterns of the effects of land-usechanges on soil carbon stocks. Glob. Ecol. Conserv. 5, 127–138 (2016).
Post, W. M. & Kwon, K. C. Soil carbon sequestration and land-use change: Processes and potential. Glob. Chang. Biol. 6, 317–327 (2000).
Google Scholar
Feng, X. & Simpson, M. J. Temperature responses of individual soil organic matter components. J. Geophys. Res. Biogeosci. https://doi.org/10.1029/2008JG000743 (2008).
Google Scholar
Chen, S., Huang, Y., Zou, J. & Shi, Y. Mean residence time of global topsoil organic carbon depends on temperature, precipitation and soil nitrogen. Glob. Planet. Chang. 100, 99–108 (2013).
Google Scholar
Alemayehu, K. & Sheleme, B. Effects of different land use systems on selected soi properties in South Ethiopia. J. Soil Sci. Environ. Manag. 4(5), 100–107 (2013).
Bockheim, J. G. Soil endemism and its relation to soil formation theory. Geoderma 129, 109–124 (2005).
Google Scholar
Ukaegbu, E. P., Osuaku, S. K. & Okolo, C. C. Suitability assessment of soils supporting oilpalm plantations in the coastal plains sand, Imo State Nigeria. Int. J. Agric. For. 5(2), 113–120 (2015).
Okolo, C. C. et al. Impact of open cast mine land use on soil physical properties in Enyigba, Southeastern Nigeria and the implication for sustainable land use management. Niger. J. Soil Sci. 25(1), 95–101 (2015).
Nwite, J. N. & Okolo, C. C. Soil water relations of an Ultisol amended with agro-wastes and its effect on grain yield of maize (Zea Mays L.) in Abakaliki, Southeastern Nigeria. Eur. J. Sci. Res. 141, 126–140 (2016).
Nwite, J. N. & Okolo, C. C. Organic carbon dynamics and changes in some physical properties of soil and their effect on grain yield of maize under conservative tillage practices in Abakaliki, Nigeria. Afr. J. Agric. Res. 12(26), 2215–2222 (2017).
Google Scholar
Mbah, C. N., Njoku, C., Okolo, C. C., Attoe, E. & Osakwe, U. C. Amelioration of a degraded Ultisol with hardwood biochar: Effects on soil physico-chemical properties and yield of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L). Afr. J. Agric. Res. 12(21), 1781–1792 (2017).
Google Scholar
Nandan, R. et al. Impact of conservation tillage in rice–based cropping systems on soil aggregation, carbon pools and nutrients. Geoderma 340, 104–114 (2019).
Google Scholar
Sharma, K.L. Effect of agroforestry systems on soil quality–monitoring and assessment. Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture. 2011. http://www.crida.in/DRM1-WinterSchool/KLS.pdf/. Accessed on 30 Dec 2018.
Okolo, C. C., Gebresamuel, G., Zenebe, A., Haile, M. & Eze, P. N. Accumulation of organic carbon in various soil aggregate sizes under different land use systems in a semi-arid environment. Agric. Ecosyst. Environ. 297, 106924. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2020.106924 (2020).
Google Scholar
Okolo, C. C., Gebresamuel, G., Retta, A. N., Zenebe, A. & Haile, M. Advances in quantifying soil organic carbon under different land uses in Ethiopia: A review and synthesis. Bull. Natl. Res. Cent. 43(99), 2019. https://doi.org/10.1186/s42269-019-0120-z (2019).
Google Scholar
Source: Ecology - nature.com