Recent advances in regenerative sustainable agricultural strategies for managing soil carbon and mitigating climate change consequences

Abstract

Conventional agricultural practices, like extensive tillage, monoculture farming, and excess synthetic chemical fertilizer application, originally increased productivity but frequently degraded the environment, particularly soil ecosystems. Soil is the primary repository of terrestrial carbon (C), with soil organic C (SOC) levels reflecting the balance between C inputs and losses. Deteriorating soil health alters the SOC budget, affecting soil fertility, depleting nutrients, and increasing erosion susceptibility. Alterations in the SOC budget adversely impact C cycle dynamics, influencing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions like carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide and leading to climate variability. However, the consolidated information discussing regenerative sustainable management practices for arable land, increasing SOC and soil C-stock, and reducing GHG emissions is limited. Thus, this review synthesizes the latest research on regenerative management strategies, offering a comprehensive analysis and critical discussion of their effects on SOC content and turnover in agricultural systems across various environments. Regenerative strategies, which prioritize biological and ecological balance, include a variety of measures, including conservation agriculture, crop rotation, cover-cropping, organic management, biochar, and agroforestry. These measures encourage soil C sequestration, improve biogeochemical cycling, and strengthen resistance to environmental fluctuations. Overall, this study methodologically demonstrates how sustainable soil management can improve SOC pool and C-sequestration. It is based on a comprehensive review of 283 studies that included both short- and long-term field trials. Additionally, it outlines the benefits, challenges, and economic prospects associated with these strategies, emphasizing the significance of improving SOC management to promote soil sustainability and mitigate climate change consequences.