Implications of Land–Use Change On Soil Organic Carbon and Sequestration Opportunities in Western Wisconsin.

The largest pool of actively cycling carbon in terrestrial ecosystems is soil. Organic carbon enters the soil in the form of soil organic matter through the process of photosynthesis and humification. Anthropogenic land use changes have caused an imbalance in the natural cycle and storage of soil organic carbon, and have resulted in a substantial increase in the transfer of carbon from the soil to the atmosphere in the form of carbon dioxide—a contributing factor to global climate change. The extent of alteration to soil organic carbon storage has not yet been sufficiently quantified in the Upper Midwest. This research project will quantify the effects of land use change on soil organic carbon storage in western Wisconsin. Paired disturbed and un-disturbed sites within 100 m of one another will be selected and soils sampled at four intervals: 0-10 cm, 10-40 cm, 40-70 cm, and 70-100 cm. Particle size analysis, bulk density, and total soil organic carbon will be determined. In addition, the potential for carbon sequestration will be examined for economic opportunity in a hypothetical carbon market scenario. This research will generate understanding of the region’s loss of soil organic carbon and the opportunity that exists for atmospheric carbon sequestration.