Abstract
The magnitude of future climate change could be moderated by immediately reducing the amount of CO2 entering the atmosphere as a result of energy generation and by adopting strategies that actively remove CO2 from it. Biogeochemical improvement of soils by adding crushed, fast-reacting silicate rocks to croplands is one such CO2-removal strategy. This approach has the potential to improve crop production, increase protection from pests and diseases, and restore soil fertility and structure. Managed croplands worldwide are already equipped for frequent rock dust additions to soils, making rapid adoption at scale feasible, and the potential benefits could generate financial incentives for widespread adoption in the agricultural sector. However, there are still obstacles to be surmounted. Audited field-scale assessments of the efficacy of CO2 capture are urgently required together with detailed environmental monitoring. A cost-effective way to meet the rock requirements for CO2 removal must be found, possibly involving the recycling of silicate waste materials. Finally, issues of public perception, trust and acceptance must also be addressed.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 138-147 |
| Number of pages | 10 |
| Journal | Nature Plants |
| Volume | 4 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Mar 1 2018 |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Plant Science
Cite this
Farming with crops and rocks to address global climate, food and soil security /631/449 /706/1143 /704/47 /704/106 perspective. / Beerling, David J.; Leake, Jonathan R.; Long, Stephen P.; Scholes, Julie D.; Ton, Jurriaan; Nelson, Paul N.; Bird, Michael; Kantzas, Euripides; Taylor, Lyla L.; Sarkar, Binoy; Kelland, Mike; DeLucia, Evan; Kantola, Ilsa; Müller, Christoph; Rau, Greg; Hansen, James.
In: Nature Plants, Vol. 4, No. 3, 01.03.2018, p. 138-147.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Farming with crops and rocks to address global climate, food and soil security /631/449 /706/1143 /704/47 /704/106 perspective
AU - Beerling, David J.
AU - Leake, Jonathan R.
AU - Long, Stephen P.
AU - Scholes, Julie D.
AU - Ton, Jurriaan
AU - Nelson, Paul N.
AU - Bird, Michael
AU - Kantzas, Euripides
AU - Taylor, Lyla L.
AU - Sarkar, Binoy
AU - Kelland, Mike
AU - DeLucia, Evan
AU - Kantola, Ilsa
AU - Müller, Christoph
AU - Rau, Greg
AU - Hansen, James
PY - 2018/3/1
Y1 - 2018/3/1
N2 - The magnitude of future climate change could be moderated by immediately reducing the amount of CO2 entering the atmosphere as a result of energy generation and by adopting strategies that actively remove CO2 from it. Biogeochemical improvement of soils by adding crushed, fast-reacting silicate rocks to croplands is one such CO2-removal strategy. This approach has the potential to improve crop production, increase protection from pests and diseases, and restore soil fertility and structure. Managed croplands worldwide are already equipped for frequent rock dust additions to soils, making rapid adoption at scale feasible, and the potential benefits could generate financial incentives for widespread adoption in the agricultural sector. However, there are still obstacles to be surmounted. Audited field-scale assessments of the efficacy of CO2 capture are urgently required together with detailed environmental monitoring. A cost-effective way to meet the rock requirements for CO2 removal must be found, possibly involving the recycling of silicate waste materials. Finally, issues of public perception, trust and acceptance must also be addressed.
AB - The magnitude of future climate change could be moderated by immediately reducing the amount of CO2 entering the atmosphere as a result of energy generation and by adopting strategies that actively remove CO2 from it. Biogeochemical improvement of soils by adding crushed, fast-reacting silicate rocks to croplands is one such CO2-removal strategy. This approach has the potential to improve crop production, increase protection from pests and diseases, and restore soil fertility and structure. Managed croplands worldwide are already equipped for frequent rock dust additions to soils, making rapid adoption at scale feasible, and the potential benefits could generate financial incentives for widespread adoption in the agricultural sector. However, there are still obstacles to be surmounted. Audited field-scale assessments of the efficacy of CO2 capture are urgently required together with detailed environmental monitoring. A cost-effective way to meet the rock requirements for CO2 removal must be found, possibly involving the recycling of silicate waste materials. Finally, issues of public perception, trust and acceptance must also be addressed.
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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85042175735&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1038/s41477-018-0108-y
DO - 10.1038/s41477-018-0108-y
M3 - Article
C2 - 29459727
AN - SCOPUS:85042175735
VL - 4
SP - 138
EP - 147
JO - Nature Plants
JF - Nature Plants
SN - 2055-026X
IS - 3
ER -