Effects of Organic Amendments on Soil Carbon Storage and Food Production

Dear Colleagues,

The world’s soils possess the largest organic carbon stock in terrestrial ecosystems, about 2–3 times higher than the atmospheric carbon pool, and 3–4 times of the terrestrial vegetation carbon pool. Increasing evidence has shown that the soil carbon pool plays a critical role in terrestrial carbon cycling and is central to maintaining soil quality, crop yield, and environmental protection in agroecosystems.

Application of organic amendments has been considered a sustainable agricultural management strategy to provide win-win benefits for waste disposal, carbon storage, and food security. For example, different organic wastes and waste-derived materials (e.g., manures, plant residues, and composts) are recommended organic amendments to bring extra nutrients and organic matter into agricultural soils, which favor the improvement of soil physical, chemical, and biological properties and crop productivity.

This Special Issue aims to identify and answer questions around how we can optimize organic amendment toward carbon storage enhancement and crop advancement. We welcome cutting-edge research, technology reports, and review articles focusing on the relationships of organic amendments–soil carbon storage–crop productivity and their future trends, particularly in the context of different climates, soil properties, and management practices, and organic amendment properties.

Prof. Dr. Yanchao Bai
Dr. Chuanhui Gu
Guest Editors

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