CASMGS New Research

The goal of CASMGS, which has received federal funding, is to provide the tools and information needed to successfully implement soil carbon sequestration and greenhouse gas reduction programs to lower the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere while providing income and incentives to farmers and improving the soil.

CASMGS brings together the nation�s top researchers in the areas of soil carbon, greenhouse gas emissions, conservation practices, computer modeling, and economic analysis. The CASMGS project has been divided into five tasks, with a team of scientists assigned to each task.

The consortium consists of scientists from Kansas State University, Colorado State University, Iowa State University, Michigan State University, Montana State University, Purdue University, The Ohio State University, Texas A&M University, University of Nebraska, and Battelle-Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.

Task 1: Processes & Mechanisms
The overarching goal for Task 1 is to develop a basic understanding of biophysical processes that control soil carbon dynamics and GHG emissions in agricultural soils of the U.S.

Task 2: Best Management Practices
The overall goal of Task 2 is to enter into partnerships to identify, develop, and evaluate agricultural best management practices, including partnerships between (A) federal, State, or private entities; and (B) the Department of Agriculture.

Task 3: Prediction & Assessment
The overall goal of Task 3 is to develop & apply prediction & assessment technologies at local/regional/national scales. The work builds on previous and ongoing research by CASMGS investigators in modeling & assessment of SC & soil GHG emissions.

Task 4: Measurment & Monitoring
The overall objective of Task 4 is to develop methodologies to estimate and verify changes in soil C and greenhouse gas emissions that result from changes in land use and management.

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The overarching goal for Task 1 is to develop a basic understanding of biophysical processes that control soil carbon dynamics and GHG emissions in agricultural soils of the U.S.

Task 1, Subtask 1: Primary production

The overall goal of Subtask 1 is to elucidate mechanisms associated with increasing plant carbon inputs that enhance soil carbon sequestration and understand the influence of biophysical factors controlling these carbon inputs.

Task 1, Subtask 2: Soil Aggregation, Organic Chemistry, and Microbial Community Composition, Divers

The primary goal of Subtask 2 is to elucidate the biological, chemical, and physical mechanisms controlling the long-term storage of carbon in agricultural soils.

Task 1, Subtask 3: Greenhouse gas fluxes and dissolved carbon export

Subtask 3 research will include an investigation of carbon exports via leaching in relation to the overall soil carbon budget, and how such exports could be affected by management of soil water status and limestone amendments.

Enhancement of Soil Carbon Sequestration

Research at PNNL has focused on understanding the fundamental process by which humus is created and identifying practical management options to enhance the rate of humification in agricultural soils.

Influence of No-Till on SOM, Biota, and Aggregation in Temperate and Tropical Soils

In a recent review, Six et al. (2002) present a general comparison of soil organic matter stabilization mechanisms in tropical versus temperate soils.

Soil C Saturation: Determining Rates and Limits of Carbon Sequestration

Increasing soil C through changes in land use and management is a low cost and environmentally beneficial method of sequestering substantial amounts of atmospheric CO2.

Integrating Soil Physics, Soil Chemistry and Soil Biology to Understand C Sequestration

As atmospheric levels of CO2 increase steadily, the ability of terrestrial systems to assimilate this burden of CO2 is critically linked to the amount of C sequestered in soils and to the rate that biomass is converted to and sequestered as soil C.

Controls on Soil Organic Matter Dynamics. A Cross Site Comparison

The dynamics of soil organic matter (SOM) is a major factor in soil fertility and determines whether soils sequester or lose carbon under different management practices.

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The overall goal of Task 2 is to enter into partnerships to identify, develop, and evaluate agricultural best management practices, including partnerships between (A) federal, State, or private entities; and (B) the Department of Agriculture.

Task 2, Subtask 1: Land management systems

We propose to evaluate system impacts of alternative management practices for C sequestration on other soil quality parameters (e.g. soil N and water holding capacity) and on mitigation of other GHGs at selected sites.

Task 2, Subtask 2: Perennial systems

Established, long-term field study sites will be used to assess an array of management practices on the rate of soil C sequestration in rangelands, native and restored grasslands, forest lands and wetlands. Net primary productivity and biomass-C inputs

Task 2, Subtask 3: Irrigated systems

We propose to develop our knowledge about how BMPs related to irrigation and drainage impact soil C by using a two-tiered approach integrating detailed site-level measurements with regional-level investigations of physical and economic impacts of BMP's.

Multiple Benefits of Carbon-Friendly Agricultural Practices

Iowa State University study estimates multiple benefits of a conservation tillage subsidy policy.

Towards Implementing Carbon Markets in Agriculture

Until policy mechanisms that appropriately incorporate the potentially temporary nature of sinks are developed, it is unlikely that agricultural sequestration will gain widespread acceptance.

Below-ground Carbon Storage Study: Konza Prairie

The goal of this research is to discover how prescribed burning, grazing or mowing frequency, and nutrient additions affect above-ground and below-ground biological process, including soil carbon and nitrogen levels in the tallgrass prairie.

Effects of Carbon Sequestration BMPs

Some of the most commonly recommended Best Management Practices (BMPs) for carbon sequestration include no-till or reduced tillage, more intensive crop rotations, and optimal nitrogen fertilization rates.

Soil Carbon Levels Highest in Upper Soil Layers

Three K-State long-term tillage and fertility studies have recently been analyzed for changes in soil organic carbon (SOC) levels.

Economics of Sequestering Carbon in the U.S. Agricultural Sector

This study explores the economic potential of sequestering additional C in the U.S. agricultural sector by providing farmers with incentives to expand the adoption of land uses and production practices that increase C storage in soils and vegetation.

Soil and Crop Management Effects on Soil Carbon Sequestration

Long-term field studies are being used to determine the effects of tillage, rotation, and nitogen management on soil carbon and nitrogen pools and turnover.

Soil Carbon Stocks Across an Irrigation Chronosequence

Irrigation dramatically changes the productivity of cropland in arid and semi-arid regions, resulting in much higher yields as well as greater amounts of crop residues that are returned to the soil.

Irrigated Crop Rotation, Tillage, and Nitrogen Impacts On Soil Carbon Storage

Managing agricultural systems to optimize soil carbon storage and minimize nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions can have a significant impact on the future concentration of greenhouse gases as well as sustainability of the crop production system.

Pasture management and soil C

We reviewed the literature to examine ways that grassland management impacts soil C stocks.

An integraded approach to develop baseline soil carbon content in semiarid eastern Oregon

The Century model was used to assess the impacts of potential changes in land management on semiarid rangeland in Central Oregon.

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The overall goal of Task 3 is to develop & apply prediction & assessment technologies at local/regional/national scales. The work builds on previous and ongoing research by CASMGS investigators in modeling & assessment of SC & soil GHG emissions.

Task 3, Subtask 1: Refinement and validation of biophysical models

Efforts in this subtask will concentrate on refinements to existing models of soil C and GHG emissions, compilation of experimental data for model validation and software development to facilitation simulation and data analysis.

Task 3, Subtask 2: Field-scale prediction and assessment

Subtask 2 will focus on developing knowledge about the optimal design of quantification systems, including the best mix of field sampling, remote sensing and modeling, their costs of implementation and accuracy and precision.

Task 3, Subtask 3: Regional-scale prediction and assessment

This subtask investigates effects of variability of environmental variables and heterogeneity in agricultural systems and their management, along with issues of scaling.

Task 3, Subtask 4: National-scale prediction and assessment

Research for this subtask focuses on developing quantification and assessment capabilities at the national level.

Task 3, Subtask 5: Integration of economic and biophysical models

The activities under this subtask provide for refinement of integrated economic/ecosystem models that have been developed by CASMGS investigators, for use in economic and policy assessment at alternative spatial scales.

Task 3, Subtask 6: Model comparisons and databases for integrated assessment models

Model comparisons and defining areas of overlap among models and methodologies are addressed in this subtask.

Task 3, Subtask 7: Integrated assessments of greenhouse gas mitigation at field and farm scale

Research on the impacts of soil carbon sequestration policies at the field- and farm-scale will provide a detailed analysis of how the impacts of these polices may vary spatially.

Task 3, Subtask 8: Regional and national level integrated models and policy assessment

Here we undertake regional-level policy assessments parallel the regional-level biophysical modeling, and focus on the North-Central region of the US.

Command-and-Control Policy Instruments versus Market-Based Instruments

A current research project at Iowa State University compares and evaluates policy instruments for providing environmental goods.

Reproducing Long-Term Soil Organic Carbon Dynamics with the EPIC Model

This work tests the EPIC model against soil carbon trend and crop production data from a long-term experiment from Arlington, WI.

Analysis of carbon dynamics in the US agricultural soils by using crop yield data

Carbon (C) sinks in agricultural soils can help mitigate carbon dioxide emissions and hence global warming. This study focuses on estimating crop residual C inputs to agricultural soils in the US, by using crop yield data and weather information.

Understanding variations in N2O emissions from agricultural landscapes

Recent research aims to characterize the influence of soil-landscape combinations and N fertilizer application rates on agricultural N2O emissions.

The Nebraska Carbon Study

Quantifying the change in greenhouse gas emissions due to natural resource conservation practice application in Nebraska. A collaborative effort between CSU-NREL, the State of Nebraska, USDA NRCS and the US DOE

The Indiana Carbon Storage Project

Quantifying the Change in Greenhouse Gas Emissions due to Natural Resource Conservation Practice Application in Indiana. A collaborative effort between USDA NRCS and CSU - NREL.

The Iowa Carbon Storage Project

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