Pulse Brain · Growing Health Evidence Index
Tier 3 — Observational / field trialPeer-reviewed

Pedoclimatic factors and management determine soil organic carbon and aggregation in farmer fields at a regional scale

Lucie Büchi, Florian Walder, Samiran Banerjee, Tino Colombi, Marcel G. A. van der Heijden, Thomas Keller, Raphaël Charles, Johan Six

Geoderma · 2021

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Summary

This field-based regional study investigates the interplay between pedoclimatic conditions and farmer management decisions in determining soil organic carbon stocks and structural stability across diverse field sites. The authors sampled and characterised farmer fields to quantify how local soil and climate context, combined with agronomic practices, shape two key soil health indicators — SOC and aggregation — at a scale relevant to agricultural policy and extension work.

UK applicability

Findings on how management practices interact with soil and climate properties to drive SOC and aggregation are likely transferable to UK temperate farming contexts, particularly for arable and mixed systems. The regional-scale methodology may inform UK soil monitoring and advisory frameworks, though UK soil conditions (often wetter, cooler) and regulatory drivers differ from Switzerland.

Key measures

Soil organic carbon concentration, soil aggregate stability, pedoclimatic variables, farm management practices

Outcomes reported

The study examined how pedoclimatic factors (soil and climate characteristics) and farming management practices influence soil organic carbon (SOC) content and soil aggregation stability across multiple farmer fields at a regional scale.

Theme
Farming systems, soils & land use
Subject
Soil carbon & organic matter
Study type
Research
Study design
Field survey / Observational study
Source type
Peer-reviewed study
Status
Published
Geography
Switzerland
System type
Mixed farming
DOI
10.1016/j.geoderma.2021.115632
Catalogue ID
SNmov5jivw-6janaa

Topic tags

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