Farmland stores less carbon than other types of unpaved land use
Whether it’s grasslands, forests, natural areas, parks, or gardens, all of these land types store a similar amount of carbon per hectare. However, farmland, which covers the largest area in Flanders (Belgium), stores significantly less carbon. This finding comes from the first carbon measurement in 50 years conducted on Flemish soil, with results announced by the Flemish Department of Environment on Monday. Vilt.be mentioned the Flemish situation.
According to Ann Heylens from the Department of Environment, the main reason is that farming activities like plowing, hoeing, and harvesting regularly introduce oxygen into the soil. This causes the organic material in the soil to oxidize, resulting in carbon loss in the form of CO2.
Another reason is that soils in farmland often receive less stable organic material, such as crop residues and slurry, which decompose quickly. In contrast, forest soils often accumulate more stable organic matter, such as twigs. Farmland soils also tend to have a slightly higher pH, which shifts the balance between bacteria and fungi, with bacteria playing a more dominant role. This affects carbon storage, as bacteria break down organic matter faster than fungi do.
Importance for Climate Policy
The results provide a critical foundation for Flemish and European climate policies. Soil carbon stocks play a crucial role in mitigating climate change. The measurements highlight the need to protect and expand essential carbon storage pools, such as forests, grasslands, and wetlands. Additionally, they suggest that there is room to significantly increase carbon storage in other land uses, like farmland. By adopting thoughtful land-use and management practices, soil and trees can capture more CO2, helping to remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. The Department of Environment plans to monitor this evolution over the next ten years.
