OOS 47-5 - Moving toward a carbon sequestration approach that recognizes and enhances soil biodiversity

Global assessments suggest that improved ecosystem management could make natural climate solutions an important component of reaching global goals of net-zero CO2 emissions by 2050. In addition to carbon storage and sequestration, understanding the impact of carbon management on other ecosystem services and the interdependency of carbon storage and soil biodiversity is essential. As policy makers and land stewards evaluate ecosystem management options for their potential contributions toward natural climate solutions and improved ecosystem services, soil carbon cycling and biodiversity research with effective science communication must keep pace to help inform management decisions. Innovative and interdisciplinary research from the micro to ecosystem and global scales has provided critical insight into soil carbon cycling and storage. However, it is equally as critical to translate this knowledge to guide sustainable ecosystem management. This talk will review the soil carbon cycling conceptual revolution, as well as highlight recent case studies showing the importance of the soil microbiome in soil carbon cycling. We will discuss current needs to move toward a carbon sequestration approach that recognizes the diverse and multifunctional nature of soils.