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Draft:Soil Carbon Storage

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Soil Carbon Storage

Soil acts as one of the largest carbon reservoirs on Earth, storing more carbon than the atmosphere and all terrestrial vegetation combined. Organic matter within the soil, including decomposed roots, plant residues, and microorganisms, contributes significantly to this carbon storage.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), soils globally contain approximately 2,500 billion tonnes of carbon, compared to around 800 billion tonnes stored in the atmosphere. This vast carbon pool highlights the critical role of soil health in climate regulation. Sustainable land management practices, such as conservation agriculture and preventing deforestation, are essential to maintaining this carbon sink and mitigating the effects of climate change.

References 1. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). “Soil organic carbon.” http://www.fao.org/soils-portal/soil-management/soil-carbon/en/ 2. IPCC (2019). “Climate Change and Land.” Special Report. https://www.ipcc.ch/srccl/