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Marin Carbon Project

Marin Carbon Project. The Marin C arbon Project began in 2007 around the question of marketing carbon credits for soil carbon sequestration through improved rangeland management practices (carbon farming). Over the next year it evolved into a science-led collaborative effort to

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Marin Carbon Project

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  1. Marin Carbon Project

  2. The Marin Carbon Project began in 2007 around the question of marketing carbon credits for soil carbon sequestration through improved rangeland management practices (carbon farming). Over the next year it evolved into a science-led collaborative effort to investigate the potential for specific management practices to enhance the sequestration of atmospheric carbon dioxide as organic matter in rangeland and agricultural soils in California.

  3. Steering Committee UC Berkeley & Davis, Dr. Whendee Silver UC Cooperative Extension Marin Agricultural Land Trust Marin Organic Marin RCD USDA NRCS-Marin& Sonoma Nicasio Native Grass Ranch Marin Agricultural Commissioner Jeff Creque, CRM

  4. Global Temperature Source: Global Carbon Project

  5. Atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations have increased dramatically in the last 50 to 100 years ) 390 ppmv 380 ( 370 2 360 350 Atmospheric CO 340 330 320 310 1964 1970 1980 1990 2008 2000 Year

  6. Reducing emissions alone will not mitigate climate change 450 440 430 420 Hypothetical emissions reduction scenario 410 Projected Atmospheric CO2 (ppmv) 400 390 380 370 360 350 2012 2010 2018 2022 2024 2026 2032 2038 2040 2044 2046 2050 2008 2014 2016 2020 2028 2030 2034 2036 2042 2048 Year

  7. Marin Carbon Project Phase I Is it possible to sequester carbon in rangeland soils? • Determine the amount of carbon in California’s rangeland soils; examine potential relationships with climate, soil type, management, and cover type. • 2. Determine the amount of carbon in Marin and Sonoma County’s rangeland soils; explore relationships with soil type, management, and cover type.

  8. Grasses allocate a high proportion of their photosynthate belowground to roots  greater soil carbon pools

  9. Carbon comes into ecosystems via Photosynthesis Carbon Inputs > Carbon Outputs = Terrestrial Carbon Sequestration CO2 CO2 Photosynthesis Respiration Soil Carbon

  10. Grasslands cover a significant portion of the Earth’s land surface *30% of global land surface *Over half of the global land use *33% of the US land area *56% of California land area

  11. California Rangelands 50% of the land area of California

  12. Marin County Study sites: 35 fields on 22 ranches

  13. Compost significantly increased plant and forage production 3.5 3.0 2.5 2.0 Aboveground biomass (Mt C ha-2) 1.5 1.0 0.5 0 Control Compost Control Compost 2010 2009 Browns Valley, Ryals and Silver in prep

  14. Organic amendments increase carbon gain by over 10 Mg C/ha in year 1 1500 Assumptions: Heterotrophic respiration = 50% of total Root biomass = shoot biomass No difference in grazed biomass 1000 Net Change (g C m-2 t-1) 500 0 -500 Compost Control Nicasio, Ryals and Silver in prep

  15. Carbon sequestration is a win-win situation: • Carbon sequestration in pastures and rangelands increases: • Fertility • Water holding capacity • Soil stability • Sustainability • Productivity

  16. The Next Steps • Life Cycle Analysis: what is the full greenhouse gas accounting of these management activities? • Grazing Management: can grazing management alone increase soil carbon storage? • Plant Community: What happens to it and can we encourage native perennial grasses through carbon farming? • Translating Science into Implementation and Policy: verification, protocols, additionality

  17. Questions www.marincarbonproject.org

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