Intensive agriculture, aimed at meeting the world’s growing food demand, is often considered a major contributor to soil degradation and greenhouse gas emissions. One common agricultural practice with diverse effects on soil health is tillage – the mechanical mixing of soil to support weed control, germination, seedling establishment, and plant growth. Intense tillage has been linked to increased mineralization of soil organic carbon, leading to elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations. Paradoxically, literature also suggests that intense tillage can enhance soil organic carbon stocks. These conflicting findings may stem from factors like varying soil types, uncontrolled experiments, short-duration studies, and differing soil depths.
The TilSoilC project seeks to bridge this gap by investigating two key mechanisms influencing soil organic carbon stabilization: soil aeration and soil mineralogy. Soil aeration, promoting oxygen availability, is expected to result in soil organic carbon losses in intensively tilled soils. Concurrently, soil organic carbon stabilization is anticipated to be weaker in soils dominated by low-activity clays like kaolinite and stronger in soils dominated by oxides. To achieve this, we will sample and study systematically top- and subsoils from long-term tillage experiments in temperate, Mediterranean, and tropical climates (Switzerland, Italy, and Brazil) practicing various tillage methods, including conventional, minimum, and no-tillage.
The outcomes of the TilSoilC project will contribute valuable insights into the specific mechanisms through which tillage practices influence soil organic carbon stabilization. This research will also provide essential guidance on the best tillage practices tailored to distinct soil types. By understanding these mechanisms, we aim to advance sustainable agriculture and address global concerns related to soil degradation and carbon dioxide emissions.
Active project members
Orly Mendoza
María Belén Naula
Gino Licini
Meret Aeppli
Georges Ndzana
Stéphanie Grand