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Research unit
FOEN
Project number
ExSt.2023.1533
Project title
Soil carbon sequestration in Switzerland: analysis of potentials and measures

Inserted texts


CategoryText
Key words
(German)
Boden, Studien
Key words
(English)
Soil, Studies
Key words
(French)
Sols, Études
Key words
(Italian)
Suolo, Studi
Short description
(English)
In Switzerland soil carbon sequestration potentials are largest on agricultural mineral soils. As a result of historic land use conversions (mainly deforestation and drainage) and an intensification of agricultural use, these soils have lost significant amounts of carbon and current soil organic carbon stocks are rather low, especially on cropland. Part of the lost carbon could be regained by measures that increase soil organic carbon stocks. Permanent grassland and forest soils have higher soil organic carbon stocks and the potential for sequestration is therefore small. However, these high stocks might be at risk under climate change and efforts should focus on maintaining soil organic carbon stocks. Due the small area, settlement soils offer a limited potential for carbon sequestration. Organic soils store significant amounts of carbon but drainage-induced loss rates are high. Efforts should focus on reducing these emissions before their potential to store additional carbon can be considered. Generally, the potential for additional carbon storage is site specific and depends on current soil organic carbon stocks and management. National-scale estimates of soil carbon sequestration potentials are still highly uncertain. To improve estimates, we rely on soil organic carbon maps and spatially explicit management information.
Related documents
Contractor
(English)
Agroscope, Reckenholz
Charged budget
(English)
BAFU
Legal basis
(English)
Art. 57 Abs. 1 RVOG | Art. 57 al. 1 LOGA. | Art. 57 cpv. 1 LOGA
Copyright
(English)
Copyright, Bundesbehörden der Schweizerischen Eidgenossenschaft | Droits d'auteur: autorités de la Confédération suisse | Diritti d'autore: autorità della Confederazione Svizzera | Dretgs d'autur: autoritads da la Confederaziun svizra | Copyright, Swiss federal authorities
Information
(English)
BAFU, Abteilung Boden und Biotechnologie, 3003 Bern