Loss of soil organic carbon in Swiss long-term agricultural experiments over a wide range of management practices

Summary

This synthesis pooled data from multiple long-term Swiss agricultural field experiments to characterise soil organic carbon dynamics under contrasting management practices spanning diverse farming systems. The analysis indicates net losses of SOC under a wide range of contemporary Swiss agricultural management approaches, highlighting the prevalence and magnitude of carbon depletion across the sampled systems. The findings provide empirical evidence on the carbon sequestration or depletion potential of different agricultural systems, informing understanding of soil carbon sustainability across Swiss agriculture.

UK applicability

UK agriculture operates under similar temperate climate and soil conditions to Switzerland, making the findings relevant for understanding SOC depletion risks across British farming systems. However, differences in farm scale, intensity, crop types, and policy frameworks (post-Brexit) may affect the direct transferability of specific management recommendations.

Key measures

Soil organic carbon stocks and changes over time; management practice variables across long-term field experiments

Outcomes reported

The study characterised soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics across multiple long-term Swiss agricultural field experiments representing diverse management practices and farming systems. Net changes in SOC stocks were quantified and compared across contrasting contemporary agricultural management approaches.

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