Advancing climate neutrality: exploring soil carbon dynamics, organic amendments, and mineralization interactions

Soil carbon (C) sequestration presents a feasible approach for mitigating climate change by capturing atmospheric carbon dioxide and storing it in the soil. This process not only contributes to the decrease of greenhouse gases but also improves soil health, fostering agricultural sustainability and ecosystem resilience. Recent research has highlighted the significant potential and challenges of influencing soil C dynamics through numerous management practices, including the application of organic amendments, conservation tillage, and cover cropping. However, gaps in our current understanding, particularly regarding the long-term impacts of these practices on soil C stocks, microbial interactions, and the protagonist of different soil types and climates, pose challenges to maximizing soil C sequestration potential. This review highlights the current knowledge on soil C sequestration, emphasizing the impact of organic amendments on soil C dynamics, including mineralization rates and emission reductions. It identifies critical gaps in knowledge and suggests future research directions, advocating for interdisciplinary approaches and innovative methodologies to address these gaps. Moreover, it highlights the importance of integrating socio-economic considerations and policymaking with scientific research to facilitate the adoption of soil carbon sequestration practices. By bridging these divides, we can unlock soil potential as a crucial factor in climate change mitigation, moving towards sustainable land management practices that benefit both the climate and agricultural productivity.