森林凋落物分解及其对全球气候变化的响应

凋落物分解是重要的森林生态系统过程之一,受到气候、凋落物质量、土壤生物群落等生物和非生物因素的综合调控．迄今,有关不同森林生态系统和不同树种地上部分的凋落物动态、凋落物分解过程中的养分释放动态、生物和非生物因素对凋落物分解的影响等研究报道较多,但对地下凋落物的分解研究相对较少．近年来,森林凋落物分解对以大气CO2浓度增加和温度升高为主要特征的全球变化的响应逐步受到重视,但其研究结果仍具有很多不确定性．因此,未来凋落物生态研究的重点应是凋落物分解对土壤有机碳固定的贡献、地上／地下凋落物的物理、化学和生物学过程及其对各种生态因子（例如冻融、干湿交替）及交互作用的响应、凋落物特别是地下凋落物分解对全球气候变化的响应机制等方面．     

Soil carbon sequestration and biochar as negative emission technologies

Despite 20 years of effort to curb emissions, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions grew faster during the 2000s than in the 1990s, which presents a major challenge for meeting the international goal of limiting warming to <2 °C relative to the preindustrial era. Most recent scenarios from integrated assessment models require large‐scale deployment of negative emissions technologies (NETs) to reach the 2 °C target. A recent analysis of NETs, including direct air capture, enhanced weathering, bioenergy with carbon capture and storage and afforestation/deforestation, showed that all NETs have significant limits to implementation, including economic cost, energy requirements, land use, and water use. In this paper, I assess the potential for negative emissions from soil carbon sequestration and biochar addition to land, and also the potential global impacts on land use, water, nutrients, albedo, energy and cost. Results indicate that soil carbon sequestration and biochar have useful negative emission potential (each 0.7 GtCeq. yr^?1) and that they potentially have lower impact on land, water use, nutrients, albedo, energy requirement and cost, so have fewer disadvantages than many NETs. Limitations of soil carbon sequestration as a NET centre around issues of sink saturation and reversibility. Biochar could be implemented in combination with bioenergy with carbon capture and storage. Current integrated assessment models do not represent soil carbon sequestration or biochar. Given the negative emission potential of SCS and biochar and their potential advantages compared to other NETs, efforts should be made to include these options within IAMs, so that their potential can be explored further in comparison with other NETs for climate stabilization.     

植物功能性状与湿地生态系统土壤碳汇功能

湿地生态系统碳平衡对气候变化极为敏感,是陆地生态系统碳循环响应全球变化的重要环节。然而,湿地生态系统碳汇调节机制仍不十分清楚,并且对影响因子的研究多集中在非生物因子上。综述了植物功能性状和功能性状多样性对湿地生态系统土壤碳汇功能的影响,阐明了生物因子对生态系统碳循环响应全球变化的重要性,介绍了植物功能性状对生态系统碳输入和输出过程的影响,简述了植物功能性状多样性的研究现状及其在指示生态系统碳汇功能现状和预测未来趋势等方面的应用。从优势植物、植物种间关系和植物-微生物种间关系3方面总结了植物功能性状多样性直接和间接影响生态系统碳循环的途径。展望了植物功能性状和功能性状多样性与湿地生态系统土壤碳汇功能的研究前景。     

Soil carbon sequestration in global working lands as a gateway for negative emission technologies

The ongoing climate crisis merits an urgent need to devise management approaches and new technologies to reduce atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations (GHG) in the near term. However, each year that GHG concentrations continue to rise, pressure mounts to develop and deploy atmospheric CO₂ removal pathways as a complement to, and not replacement for, emissions reductions. Soil carbon sequestration (SCS) practices in working lands provide a low-tech and cost-effective means for removing CO₂ from the atmosphere while also delivering co-benefits to people and ecosystems. Our model estimates suggest that, assuming additive effects, the technical potential of combined SCS practices can provide 30%–70% of the carbon removal required by the Paris Climate Agreement if applied to 25%–50% of the available global land area, respectively. Atmospheric CO₂ drawdown via SCS has the potential to last decades to centuries, although more research is needed to determine the long-term viability at scale and the durability of the carbon stored. Regardless of these research needs, we argue that SCS can at least serve as a bridging technology, reducing atmospheric CO₂ in the short term while energy and transportation systems adapt to a low-C economy. Soil C sequestration in working lands holds promise as a climate change mitigation tool, but the current rate of implementation remains too slow to make significant progress toward global emissions goals by 2050. Outreach and education, methodology development for C offset registries, improved access to materials and supplies, and improved research networks are needed to accelerate the rate of SCS practice implementation. Herein, we present an argument for the immediate adoption of SCS practices in working lands and recommendations for improved implementation.     

土壤铁矿物形态转化影响有机碳固定研究进展

铁是地壳中丰度第四高的元素,其可通过多种方式影响土壤有机碳累积,尤其铁氧化物与土壤有机碳相互作用形成的稳定有机-矿物复合物,被认为是土壤可溶性有机碳长期固定的关键地球化学机制。促进土壤固定有机碳不仅可以提高土壤质量和肥力,还是应对全球气候变化的主要策略之一。然而,铁活跃的氧化还原反应和多样化的赋存形态,使其转化过程对土壤有机碳累积和稳定性的影响结果受到诸多生物和非生物因素调控。从不同角度,结合多学科的研究成果,综述了近年来国内外关于铁矿物形态转化影响土壤有机碳固定的相关研究,包括铁矿物形态转化过程、土壤有机碳固定机制、铁矿物形态转化影响土壤有机碳固定的机制及其主要影响因素(各种环境条件、自身的铁矿物性质、碳源质量等方面),强调铁在土壤有机碳固定过程中的重要作用。对铁固定土壤有机碳的相关研究提出了建议,为今后研究提供相关参考。     

Vegetation dynamics--simulating responses to climatic change

A modelling approach to simulating vegetation dynamics is described, incorporating critical processes of carbon sequestration, growth, mortality and distribution. The model has been developed to investigate the responses of vegetation to environmental change, at time scales from days to centuries and from the local to the global scale. The model is outlined and subsequent tests, against independent data sources, are relatively successful, from the small scale to the global scale. Tests against eddy covariance observations of carbon exchange by vegetation indicated significant differences between measured and simulated net ecosystem production (NEP). NEP is the net of large fluxes due to gross primary production and respiration, which are not directly measured and so there is some uncertainty in explaining differences between observations and simulations. In addition it was noted that closer agreement of fluxes was achieved for natural, or long-lived managed vegetation than for recently managed vegetation. The discrepancies appear to be most closely related to respiratory carbon losses from the soil, but this area needs further exploration. The differences do not scale up to the global scale, where simulated and measured global net biome production were similar, indicating that fluxes measured at the managed observed sites are not typical globally. The model (the Sheffield Dynamic Global Vegetation Model, SDGVM) has been applied to contemporary vegetation dynamics and indicates a significant CO2 fertilisation effect on the sequestration of atmospheric CO2. The terrestrial carbon sink for the 20th century is simulated to be widespread between latitudes 40 degrees S and 65 degrees N, but is greatest between 10 degrees S and 6 degrees N, excluding the effects of human deforestation. The mean maximum sink capacity over the 20th century is small, at 25 gC m(-2) year(-1), or approximately 1% of gross primary production. Simulations of vegetation dynamics under a scenario of future global warming indicate a gradual decline in the terrestrial carbon sink, with the capacity to absorb human emissions of CO2 being reduced from 20% in 2000 to approximately 2% between 2075 and 2100. The responses of carbon sequestration and vegetation structure and distribution to stabilisation of climate and CO2 may extend for up to 50 years after stabilisation has occurred.     

大气CO2增加对陆地生态系统微量气体地-气交换的影响

简要综述了近年来国内外在大气CO2浓度增加对微量气体交换影响方面的研究进展,首先介绍了有关大气CO2浓度增加的研究技术和方法,比较了目前两种常用技术开顶箱（OTC）和开放式空气CO2增加（FACE）方法的优缺点,然后着重阐述了用OTC和FACE研究陆地生态系统CH4、N2O、CO2等微量气体的地气交换对大气CO2浓度增加的响应,综合现有的资料表明,大气CO2浓度增加,会促进绿色植物生物量增加,同时改变生物质的C/N,降低有机质的分解速率,增强了陆地生态系统对大气CO2的固特作用;大气CO2浓度增加会提高产甲烷菌的活性和影响CH4的排放过程,有可能导致湿地生态系统CH4的排放增加;大气CO2浓度增加对N2O排放影响的研究较少,且尚无一致的结论;另外,对于其他微量气体,尚没有盯关研究报道,鉴于此,今后应加强大气CO2浓度增加的微量气体地气交换响应研究。     

Soil carbon sequestrations by nitrogen fertilizer application, straw return and no-tillage in China's cropland

Soil as the largest global carbon pool has played a great role in sequestering the atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂). Although global carbon sequestration potentials have been assessed since the 1980s, few investigations have been made on soil carbon sequestration (SCS) in China's cropland. China is a developing country and has a long history of agricultural activities. Estimation of SCS potentials in China's cropland is very important for assessing the potential measures to prevent the atmospheric carbon rise and predicting the atmospheric CO₂ concentration in future. After review of the available results of the field experiments in China, relationships between SCS and nitrogen fertilizer application, straw return and no‐tillage (NT) practices were established for each of the four agricultural regions. According to the current agricultural practices and their future development, estimations were made on SCS by nitrogen fertilizer application, straw return and NT in China's cropland. In the current situation, nitrogen fertilizer application, straw return and zero tillage can sequester 5.96, 9.76 and 0.800 Tg C each year. Carbon sequestration potential will increase to 12.1 Tg C yr⁻¹ if nitrogen is fertilized on experts' recommendations. The carbon sequestration potentials of straw return and NT can reach 34.4 and 4.60 Tg C yr⁻¹ when these two techniques are further popularized. In these measures, straw return is the most promising one. Full popularization of straw return can reduce 5.3% of the CO₂ emission from fossil fuel combustion in China in 1990, which meets the global mean CO₂ reduction requested by the Kyoto Protocol (5.2%). In general, if more incentive policies can be elaborated and implemented, the SCS in China's cropland will be increased by about two times. So, popularization of the above‐mentioned agricultural measures for carbon sequestration can be considered as an effective tool to prevent the rapid rise of the atmospheric CO₂ in China.     

微生物成因的碳酸盐矿物研究进展

微生物诱导碳酸盐类矿物沉淀是地质微生物学的研究热点之一.微生物主要通过其代谢活动促进细胞周围微环境pH值及水体[CO32-]的升高,最终表现为碳酸盐类矿物饱和指数的增加.此外,微生物及其分泌的胞外聚合物可作为碳酸盐晶核的成核位点,为碳酸盐矿物晶体的生长进一步提供有利条件.微生物成因与纯化学成因的碳酸盐类矿物相比具有不同的矿物特征(如形貌、微量元素含量及碳同位素等).深入了解微生物诱导碳酸钙沉淀的行为对理解地质时期微生物活动及其在二氧化碳的地质封存中的潜在应用具有指导意义.本文综述了微生物诱导碳酸盐矿物沉淀的机理、代谢过程,总结了该领域的最新进展,探讨了生物成因以及化学成因碳酸盐矿物的区别,最后指出了该项研究在微生物岩以及CO2地质封存上的一些可能的拓展方向.     

潮汐作用和干湿交替对盐沼湿地碳交换的影响机制研究进展

潮汐盐沼湿地具有高的碳积累速率和低的CH_4排放量,是地球上最密集的碳汇之一。同时,气候变暖和海平面上升可能使得盐沼湿地更迅速的捕获和埋藏大气中的CO_2,因此盐沼湿地的"蓝碳"在减缓气候变化方面扮演着重要角色。潮汐盐沼湿地与其他湿地类型最大的区别和最显著的特征是在周期性潮汐作用下出现淹没和暴露,同时伴随盐分表聚与淋洗的干湿交替,可能是控制盐沼湿地碳交换过程和碳收支平衡的关键因素。但是,当前潮汐水动力过程及其周期性干湿交替对盐沼湿地碳交换关键过程和碳汇形成机制的影响尚不十分清楚。另外,以往相关研究通常孤立地考虑垂直方向上CO_2或CH_4交换或横向方向上的可溶性有机碳(DOC)、可溶性无机碳(DIC)、颗粒有机碳(POC)交换通量对盐沼湿地碳平衡进行评估,显然不够准确。因此,为了精确评估和预测盐沼湿地蓝碳的吸存能力,必须系统研究潮汐不同阶段对盐沼湿地碳交换过程的影响;深入分析潮汐作用下盐沼湿地碳交换的微生物机制;关注潮汐水动力作用对盐沼湿地DOC、DIC和POC产生、释放以及向邻近水体输出的影响;阐明潮汐作用对盐沼湿地碳汇形成机制的影响;纳入潮汐水动力过程作为变量,建立盐沼湿地碳循环模型。     

Potential Soil Carbon Sequestration and CO2 Offset by Dedicated Energy Crops in the USA

Energy crops are fast-growing species whose biomass yields are dedicated to the production of more immediately usable energy forms, such as liquid fuels or electricity. Biomass-based energy sources can offset, or displace, some amount of fossil-fuel use. Energy derived from biomass provides 2 to 3% of the energy used in the U.S.A.; but, with the exception of corn-(Zea mays L.)-to-ethanol, very little energy is currently derived from dedicated energy crops. In addition to the fossil-fuel offset, energy cropping might also mitigate an accentuated greenhouse gas effect by causing a net sequestration of atmospheric C into soil organic C (SOC). Energy plantations of short-rotation woody crops (SRWC) or herbaceous crops (HC) can potentially be managed to favor SOC sequestration. This review is focused primarily on the potential to mitigate atmospheric CO₂ emissions by fostering SOC sequestration in energy cropping systems deployed across the landscape in the United States. We know that land use affects the dynamics of the SOC pool, but data about spatial and temporal variability in the SOC pool under SRWC and HC are scanty due to lack of well-designed, long-term studies. The conventional methods of studying SOC fluxes involve paired-plot designs and chronosequences, but isotopic techniques may also be feasible in understanding temporal changes in SOC. The rate of accumulation of SOC depends on land-use history, soil type, vegetation type, harvesting cycle, and other management practices. The SOC pool tends to be enhanced more under deep-rooted grasses, N-fixers, and deciduous species. Carbon sequestration into recalcitrant forms in the SOC pool can be enhanced with some management practices (e.g., conservation tillage, fertilization, irrigation); but those practices can carry a fossil-C cost. Reported rates of SOC sequestration range from 0 to 1.6 Mg C ha^?1 yr^?1 under SRWC and 0 to 3 Mg C ha^?1 yr^?1 under HC. Production of 5 EJ of electricity from energy crops—a perhaps reasonable scenario for the U.S.A.—would require about 60 Mha. That amount of land is potentially available for conversion to energy plantations in the U.S.A. The land so managed could mitigate C emissions (through fossil C not emitted and SOC sequestered) by about 5.4 Mg C ha^?1 yr^?1. On 60 Mha, that would represent 324 Tg C yr^?1—a 20% reduction from current fossil-fuel CO₂ emissions. Advances in productivity of fast-growing SRWC and HC species suggest that deployment of energy cropping systems could be an effective strategy to reduce climate-altering effects of anthropogenic CO₂ emissions and to meet global policy commitments.     

造林再造林、森林采伐、气候变化、CO2浓度升高、火灾和虫害对森林固碳能力的影响

森林生态系统具有吸收大气CO_2、缓解气候变化的作用。造林再造林作为京都议定书认可的大气CO_2减排途径,是提高森林固碳能力的低成本、有效策略。森林生态系统固碳能力还受森林采伐、气候变化、大气CO_2浓度升高、火灾以及虫害等自然因素和人为因素的强烈影响。综述了全球和区域造林再造林的固碳能力,以及目前较受重视的一些因素(森林采伐、气候变化、大气CO_2浓度升高、火灾以及虫害)对森林生态系统固碳能力的影响。结果表明,全球造林再造林固碳能力为148—2400TgC/a;采伐造成的全球森林碳损失最大为900 TgC/a,其次是火灾为300 TgC/a,虫害造成森林碳释放最小在2—107 TgC/a之间。建议在今后的研究中,应关注固碳措施和多种环境因素对森林生态系统固碳能力,尤其是对森林土壤固碳能力的影响,严格控制森林采伐和火灾发生,以及减少或避免造林再造林活动引起的碳泄漏。     

城市土壤碳循环与碳固持研究综述

城市化过程带来的土地利用变化和环境污染是全球变化的重要方面,城市为人们了解人类与自然复合生态系统对全球变化的影响及其对全球变化的响应过程提供一个独特的"天然实验室"。陆地生态系统碳循环是全球变化研究的热点领域之一,然而,人们对城市在全球碳循环中的作用和影响知之甚少,城市土壤碳循环研究处于起步阶段。介绍了城市土壤的主要特性和碳循环特征,指出强烈的人为作用是其最突出的特点;综述了城市土壤碳库、碳通量和碳固持研究方面取得的进展;探讨了城市化过程中土地利用变化、土壤中生物及土壤管护措施、城市小气候、大气污染沉降和土壤污染等对土壤碳循环的影响;提出未来城市碳循环研究需要开展长期系统监测、深化城市土壤碳循环机制研究、创新研究范式和研究方法、并将研究成果与城市景观规划与设计相结合,提升城市土壤碳管理能力。     

森林经营与管理下的温室气体排放、碳泄漏和净固碳量研究进展

森林在减缓全球气候变化和大气CO₂浓度升高上具有重要作用.森林经营与管理下的新造林和森林保护具有显著的固碳功能,其中,新造林和森林保护的固碳速率分别为0.04～7.52、0.33～5.20 t C·hm^-2·a^-1.同时,营造林过程中物资的生产和运输导致边界内产生温室气体排放;营造林导致的活动转移、市场效应和生态环境变化导致边界外产生碳泄漏.本文综述了国内外森林经营与管理活动边界内温室气体排放源的界定、计量方法、温室气体排放量与排放速率;边界外碳泄漏的类型、计量方法与碳泄漏量;净固碳量以及温室气体排放和碳泄漏对固碳的抵消强度.边界内温室气体排放对固碳的抵消强度为0.01%～19.3%,进一步考虑碳泄漏时可增至95%.若仅考虑森林经营与管理在边界内直接产生的温室气体排放与可测量的活动转移碳泄漏,森林经营与管理具有较好的净固碳效益,且相比于农田固碳措施在温室气体净减排方面具有更好的应用前景.随着我国各项重大生态工程新一期的开展和对工程固碳效益的关注,为增加重大生态工程对温室气体的净减排量,有必要在工程开展前进行合理规划、在工程开展过程中加强控制和监测以减少工程实施导致的边界内温室气体排放和边界外碳泄漏.     

Microorganisms and climate change: terrestrial feedbacks and mitigation options

Microbial processes have a central role in the global fluxes of the key biogenic greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide) and are likely to respond rapidly to climate change. Whether changes in microbial processes lead to a net positive or negative feedback for greenhouse gas emissions is unclear. To improve the prediction of climate models, it is important to understand the mechanisms by which microorganisms regulate terrestrial greenhouse gas flux. This involves consideration of the complex interactions that occur between microorganisms and other biotic and abiotic factors. The potential to mitigate climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions through managing terrestrial microbial processes is a tantalizing prospect for the future.     

Growing season net ecosystem CO2 exchange of two desert ecosystems with alkaline soils in Kazakhstan

Central Asia is covered by vast desert ecosystems, and the majority of these ecosystems have alkaline soils. Their contribution to global net ecosystem CO₂ exchange (NEE) is of significance simply because of their immense spatial extent. Some of the latest research reported considerable abiotic CO₂ absorption by alkaline soil, but the rate of CO₂ absorption has been questioned by peer communities. To investigate the issue of carbon cycle in Central Asian desert ecosystems with alkaline soils, we have measured the NEE using eddy covariance (EC) method at two alkaline sites during growing season in Kazakhstan. The diurnal course of mean monthly NEE followed a clear sinusoidal pattern during growing season at both sites. Both sites showed significant net carbon uptake during daytime on sunny days with high photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) but net carbon loss at nighttime and on cloudy and rainy days. NEE has strong dependency on PAR and the response of NEE to precipitation resulted in an initial and significant carbon release to the atmosphere, similar to other ecosystems. These findings indicate that biotic processes dominated the carbon processes, and the contribution of abiotic carbon process to net ecosystem CO₂ exchange may be trivial in alkaline soil desert ecosystems over Central Asia.     

Preliminary estimates of the potential for carbon mitigation in European soils through no-till farming

In this paper we estimate the European potential for carbon mitigation of no-till farming using results from European tillage experiments. Our calculations suggest some potential in terms of (a) reduced agricultural fossil fuel emissions, and (b) increased soil carbon sequestration. We estimate that 100% conversion to no-till farming would be likely to sequester about 23 Tg C y^–1 in the European Union or about 43 Tg C y^–1 in the wider Europe (excluding the former Soviet Union). In addition, up to 3.2 Tg C y^–1 could be saved in agricultural fossil fuel emissions. Compared to estimates of the potential for carbon sequestration of other carbon mitigation options, no-till agriculture shows nearly twice the potential of scenarios whereby soils are amended with organic materials. Our calculations suggest that 100% conversion to no-till agriculture in Europe could mitigate all fossil fuel-carbon emissions from agriculture in Europe. However, this is equivalent to only about 4.1% of total anthropogenic CO₂-carbon produced annually in Europe (excluding the former Soviet Union) which in turn is equivalent to about 0.8% of global annual anthropogenic CO₂-carbon emissions.     

Can biomass supply meet the demands of bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS)?

To reach the reduced carbon emission targets proposed by the Paris agreement, one of the widely proposed decarbonizing strategies, referred to as negative emissions technologies (NETs), is the production and combustion of bioenergy crops in conjunction with carbon capture and storage (BECCS). However, concerns have been increasingly raised that relying on the potential of BECCS to achieve negative emissions could result in delayed reductions in gross CO₂ emissions, with consequent high risk of overshooting global temperature targets. We focus on two particular issues: the carbon efficiency and payback time of bioenergy use in BECCS and the potential constraints on the supply of bioenergy. The simplistic vision of BECCS is that 1 tonne of CO₂ captured in the growth of biomass equates to 1 tonne of CO₂ sequestered geologically, but this cannot be the case as CO₂ is emitted by variable amounts during the lifecycle from crop establishment to sequestration below ground in geological formations. The deployment of BECCS is ultimately reliant on the availability of sufficient, sustainably sourced, biomass. The two most important factors determining this supply are land availability and land productivity. The upper bounds of the area estimates required correspond to more than the world's harvested land for cereal production. To achieve these estimates of biomass availability requires the rapid evolution of a multitude of technological, social, political and economic factors. Here, we question whether, because of the limited sustainable supply of biomass, BECCS should continue to be considered the dominant NET in IPCC and other scenarios achieving the Paris targets, or should it be deemed no longer fit for purpose?     

农田土壤固碳措施的温室气体泄漏和净减排潜力

农田土壤固碳措施作为京都议定书认可的大气CO2减排途径受到了广泛关注.研究表明,农田土壤固碳措施在主要农业国家和全球都具有很大的固碳潜力.但是,实施农田土壤固碳措施有可能影响农业中化石燃料消耗和其他农业投入的CO2排放和非CO2温室气体排放.这些土壤碳库以外的温室气体排放变化可能抵消部分甚至全部土壤固碳效果,构成了农田土壤固碳措施的温室气体泄漏.因此,将土壤固碳和温室气体泄漏综合计算的净减排潜力成为了判定土壤固碳措施可行性的首要标准.综述总结了目前较受重视的一些农田措施(包括施用化学氮肥、免耕和保护性耕作、灌溉、秸秆还田、施用禽畜粪便以及污灌)的土壤固碳潜力,温室气体泄漏和净减排潜力研究成果.结果表明,温室气体泄漏可抵消以上措施土壤固碳效益的-241%～660%.建议在今后的研究中,应该关注土壤碳饱和、气候变化及土地利用变化对农田固碳措施温室气体泄漏和净减排潜力的评估结果的影响.     

Nitrogen Management Affects Carbon Sequestration in North American Cropland Soils

Agricultural soils in North America can be a sink for rising atmospheric CO₂ concentrations through the formation of soil organic matter (SOM) or humus. Humification is limited by the availability of nutrients such as nitrogen (N). Recommended management practices (RMPs) that optimize N availability foster humus formation. This review examines the management practices that contribute to maximizing N availability for optimizing sequestration of atmospheric CO₂ into soil humus. Farming practices that enhance nutrient use, reduce or eliminate tillage, and increase crop intensity, together, affect N availability and, therefore, C sequestration. N additions, from especially, livestock manure and leguminous cover crops are necessary for increasing grain and biomass yields and returning crop residues to the soil thereby increasing soil organic carbon (SOC) concentration. Conservation tillage practices enhance also the availability of N and increase SOC concentration. Increase in cropping intensity and/or crop rotations produce higher quantity and quality of residues, increase availability of N, and therefore foster increase in C sequestration. The benefit of C sequestration from N additions may be negated by CO₂ and N₂O emissions associated with production and application of N fertilizers. More studies need to be conducted to ascertain the benefits of adding N via manuring versus N fertilizer additions. Furthermore, site specific adaptive research is needed to identify RMPs that optimize soil N use efficiency while improving crop yield and C sequestration thereby curbing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Due to the wide range of climate in North America, there is a large range of C sequestration potential in agricultural soils through N management. Humid croplands may have the potential to sequester 8–298 Tg C yr^?1 while dry croplands may sequester 1–35 Tg C yr^?1. These estimates, however, are highly uncertain and wide-ranging. Clearly, more research is needed to quantify, more precisely, the C sequestration potential across different N management scenarios especially in Mexico and Canada.