Potential for soil carbon sequestration in Northern Australian grazing lands: A review of the evidence

Abstract

The aim of this project was to review the evidence on prospects for soil carbon sequestration in northern Australia, focusing on land used for extensive beef cattle, sheep or goat production.
The report analyses published information and data under the following key content topics:
1. Soil carbon background: Defining soil carbon and soil carbon sequestration.
2. Impact of management strategies on soil carbon sequestration based on a review of regionally relevant literature and available in‐field measurements and modelling studies (where supported by on‐ground information), including:
– Identification of management strategies reported to result in positive, negative or no change in long‐term (‘permanent’) soil organic carbon storage; and
– Exploration of possible reasons for inconsistency in estimates of potential carbon sequestration.
3. Opportunities, key requirements and impediments to participation in soil carbon crediting schemes such as the Australian Emissions Reduction Fund.
4. Measurement and monitoring requirements to validate permanent soil carbon sequestration in grazing land at paddock to property scale.
5. Risks and barriers associated with various soil carbon sequestration strategies, focusing on biophysical constraints on ‘permanent’ storage of carbon in northern grazing land soils.
6. Key knowledge gaps and research needs.
7. Conclusions and Recommendations