Cited by 1,612Soil Carbon and Nitrogen DynamicsSoil Geostatistics and MappingSoil erosion and sediment transport

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Global soil carbon: understanding and managing the largest terrestrial carbon pool

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Scharlemann, Jörn PW, Tanner, Edmund VJ, Hiederer, Roland, Kapos, Valerie·2014·Carbon Management

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Abstract

Carbon stored in soils worldwide exceeds the amount of carbon stored in phytomass and the atmosphere. Despite the large quantity of carbon stored as soil organic carbon (SOC), consensus is lacking on the size of global SOC stocks, their spatial distribution, and the carbon emissions from soils due to changes in land use and land cover. This article summarizes published estimates of global SOC stocks through time and provides an overview of the likely impacts of management options on SOC stocks. We then discuss the implications of existing knowledge of SOC stocks, their geographical distribution and the emissions due to management regimes on policy decisions, and the need for better soil carbon science to mitigate losses and enhance soil carbon stocks.

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Authors: Scharlemann, J. P., Tanner, E. V., Hiederer, R., & Kapos, V.
Affiliations: University of Sussex (GB)
University of Cambridge (GB)
European Commission (BE)
UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (GB)
ORCID: Scharlemann, Jörn PW
Tanner, Edmund VJ
Kapos, Valerie
Venue: Carbon Management
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Published: 2014-02
Volume: 5
Issue: 1
Pages: 81-91
ISSN: 1758-3004 (ISSN-L)
1758-3012
DOI: 10.4155/cmt.13.77
OpenAlex: W1969543759
Cited by: 1,612
References: 74
Citations by year: 2026: 78 · 2025: 178 · 2024: 222 · 2023: 232 · 2022: 224 · 2021: 170 · 2020: 146 · 2019: 100 · 2018: 94 · 2017: 83 · 2016: 43 · 2015: 31 · 2014: 11
FWCI: 79.32
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: bronze
doi.org
Locations: Carbon Management (publishedVersion)
Figshare (submittedVersion, cc-by)
Funders: Arcadia Fund
Cambridge Conservation Initiative
Topics: Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Soil Science › Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics
Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Soil Science › Soil Geostatistics and Mapping
Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Soil Science › Soil erosion and sediment transport
Keywords: soil organic carbon, spatial distribution of soil carbon, land use and land cover change, soil carbon emissions, soil carbon management, carbon sequestration, climate change mitigation policy

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Global soil carbon: understanding and managing the largest terrestrial carbon pool

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