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Cited by 920Soil Carbon and Nitrogen DynamicsSoil erosion and sediment transportSoil Geostatistics and Mapping

Soil carbon saturation: concept, evidence and evaluation

Stewart, Catherine E., Paustian, Keith, Conant, Richard T., Plante, Alain F., Six, Johan·2007·Biogeochemistry
DOI 10.1007/s10533-007-9140-0
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Abstract

Current estimates of soil C storage potential are based on models or factors that assume linearity between C input levels and C stocks at steady-state, implying that SOC stocks could increase without limit as C input levels increase. However, some soils show little or no increase in steady-state SOC stock with increasing C input levels suggesting that SOC can become saturated with respect to C input. We used long-term field experiment data to assess alternative hypotheses of soil carbon storage by three simple models: a linear model (no saturation), a one-pool whole-soil C saturation model, and a two-pool mixed model with C saturation of a single C pool, but not the whole soil. The one-pool C saturation model best fit the combined data from 14 sites, four individual sites were best-fit with the linear model, and no sites were best fit by the mixed model. These results indicate that existing agricultural field experiments generally have too small a range in C input levels to show saturation behavior, and verify the accepted linear relationship between soil C and C input used to model SOM dynamics. However, all sites combined and the site with the widest range in C input levels were best fit with the C-saturation model. Nevertheless, the same site produced distinct effective stabilization capacity curves rather than an absolute C saturation level. We conclude that the saturation of soil C does occur and therefore the greatest efficiency in soil C sequestration will be in soils…

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  • Because soils further from C saturation accumulate C faster than soils near saturation, and because our estimated soil C sequestration rate is much greater than 0.41 Mg C ha-1 yr-1, we expect continued sequestration, likely to diminish over time.

    “However, because soils that are further from C saturation will accumulate C faster than soils near saturation, and because our estimated soil C sequestration rate is much greater than the 0.41 Mg C ha -1 yr -1 indicated by Conant et al. (2003), we expect continued sequestration, likely to diminish over time (Minasny et al., 2017;Stewart et al., 2007).”

    From Impacts of soil carbon sequestration on life cycle greenhouse gas emissions in Midwestern USA beef finishing systems (2018) · cites this paper as Stewart et al., 2007

  • In the empirical dataset, the slower rate observed in later years may reflect a real trend, consistent with diminishing returns reported elsewhere.

    “In the empirical dataset, the slower rate observed in later years may reflect a real trend, consistent with diminishing returns reported elsewhere (Stewart et al., 2007).”

    From Impact of 10 years of adaptive multi-paddock grazing on soil carbon and beef's greenhouse gas footprint in the US Upper Midwest (2026) · cites this paper as Stewart et al., 2007

  • Sink saturation is due to either a finite availability of mineral surfaces and other physico-chemical properties responsible for the persistence of carbon in soils, defining a maximum storage capacity, or to environmental constraints on carbon input stabilisation and decomposition rates leading to a new equilibrium value for SOC and defining an effective storage capacity.

    “This 'sink saturation' is due to either a finite availability of mineral surfaces and other physico-­ chemical properties responsible for the persistence of C in soils, defining a maximum storage capacity, or to environmental constraints on C input stabilisation and decomposition rates leading to a new equilibrium value for SOC and defining an 'effective' storage capacity (Stewart et al.,”

    From Carbon for soils, not soils for carbon (2023) · cites this paper as Stewart et al., 2007

  • The rate of SOC sequestration decreases as SOC approaches the maximum or effective storage capacity.

    “Most critically, the concept of sink saturation suggests not only a limited storage capacity but also that the rate of SOC sequestration decreases as SOC approaches the maximum or effective storage capacity (Poulton et al., 2018; Stewart et al., 2007).”

    From Carbon for soils, not soils for carbon (2023) · cites this paper as Stewart et al., 2007

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Authors
Stewart, C. E., Paustian, K., Conant, R. T., Plante, A. F., & Six, J.
Affiliations
  • Colorado State University (US)
  • University of Pennsylvania (US)
  • University of California, Davis (US)
Corresponding author
Stewart, Catherine E.
ORCID
Venue
Biogeochemistry
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2007-08-03
Volume
86
Issue
1
Pages
19-31
ISSN
  • 0168-2563 (ISSN-L)
  • 1573-515X
DOI
10.1007/s10533-007-9140-0
OpenAlex
W2044716830
Cited by
911
References
41
Citations by year
2026: 85 · 2025: 91 · 2024: 86 · 2023: 89 · 2022: 59 · 2021: 66 · 2020: 64 · 2019: 38 · 2018: 55 · 2017: 48 · 2016: 25 · 2015: 32 · 2014: 43 · 2013: 39 · 2012: 25
FWCI
26.14
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
Locations
Biogeochemistry (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Soil Science › Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Soil Science › Soil erosion and sediment transport
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Environmental Engineering › Soil Geostatistics and Mapping
Keywords
soil carbon saturation, soil organic carbon, soil carbon sequestration, carbon input, carbon stabilization, long-term field experiment

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