Soil Carbon Sequestration for Climate Change Mitigation …
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is important for saving water and sustaining crop yields. Application of biosolids
as soil amendments (e.g., compost, manure) is extremely important to improving
productivity, and creating a positive C budget and enhancing the ecosystem C stock.
12 Potential Soil Carbon Sequestration in Egypt and Nile
Delta
The potential of the world’s degraded soils and ecosystems to sequester SOC is
high; estimated at 1216 Mha, and agricultural soils estimated at 4961 Mha. As these
soils have lost a significant part of their original SOC stock, they can sequester C by
converting to restorative land use and adopting recommended management practices.
The potential of SOC sequestration is in the following order: degraded soils and
desertified ecosystems > cropland > grazing lands > forest lands and permanent
crops. A considerable part of the historic C loss (estimated at 66–90 Pg) can be
sequestered over 25–50 years. The rates of SOC sequestration on cropland range
from 0.02 to 0.76 Mg C/ha/year when improved systems of crop management are
adopted, and 0.25–0.5 Mg C/ha/year for rice land management [65]. As well, Ahirwal
et al. [14] emphasized on the large potentiality of atmospheric C sequestration on
the reclaimed sites, moreover its variance with the climatic conditions and plant
species that could be used for reclamation. They mentioned that with an increase
in the reclamation age, the development of vegetation cover and soil properties on
these sites could sequester more atmospheric CO 2 . However, the emission of CO 2
from the soil surface into the atmosphere can result from the root and microbial
respiration. Thus, a reclaimed site in Egypt also has a huge potentiality to sequester
more atmospheric CO 2 . Ahirwal et al. [14] also reported that accumulation of nutrient
stocks in the soil in the initial reclamation stages plays an important role in the
development of soil horizons and plant growth. In this context, enhancing SOM is
major importance because of bounding SOC and N, which may be mineralized and
enhance the soil fertility.
Although north Nile Delta, Egypt produce tiny percent (less than 1%) of total
global GHGs emissions, it is one of the most vulnerable areas to the expected impacts
and risks of climate change [87]. Also, there are largely degraded and salt-affected
areas in North Nile Delta [69, 70]. Coastal soils are salt-affected because of special
hydrologic and geographical conditions. The salinity in coastal areas is a limiting
factor for crop productivity as in the degraded coastal area in North Nile Delta, Egypt.
The northern coastal zone of the Nile Delta is generally low lands as well. Hence
it is vulnerable to direct and indirect impacts of climate change impacts especially
sea level rise. Therefore, the Nile Delta is expected to suffer emundation, severe
soil salinization and gradual merging under the groundwater logging and seawater
transgression. Recently conversion of coastal lands to agricultural usages is a vital
process in the deserts and coastal areas nearby Nile Delta mainly under the limitation
of soil and water resources in these drylands [70]. Therefore, rising demands for water
169
is important for saving water and sustaining crop yields. Application of biosolids
as soil amendments (e.g., compost, manure) is extremely important to improving
productivity, and creating a positive C budget and enhancing the ecosystem C stock.
12 Potential Soil Carbon Sequestration in Egypt and Nile
Delta
The potential of the world’s degraded soils and ecosystems to sequester SOC is
high; estimated at 1216 Mha, and agricultural soils estimated at 4961 Mha. As these
soils have lost a significant part of their original SOC stock, they can sequester C by
converting to restorative land use and adopting recommended management practices.
The potential of SOC sequestration is in the following order: degraded soils and
desertified ecosystems > cropland > grazing lands > forest lands and permanent
crops. A considerable part of the historic C loss (estimated at 66–90 Pg) can be
sequestered over 25–50 years. The rates of SOC sequestration on cropland range
from 0.02 to 0.76 Mg C/ha/year when improved systems of crop management are
adopted, and 0.25–0.5 Mg C/ha/year for rice land management [65]. As well, Ahirwal
et al. [14] emphasized on the large potentiality of atmospheric C sequestration on
the reclaimed sites, moreover its variance with the climatic conditions and plant
species that could be used for reclamation. They mentioned that with an increase
in the reclamation age, the development of vegetation cover and soil properties on
these sites could sequester more atmospheric CO 2 . However, the emission of CO 2
from the soil surface into the atmosphere can result from the root and microbial
respiration. Thus, a reclaimed site in Egypt also has a huge potentiality to sequester
more atmospheric CO 2 . Ahirwal et al. [14] also reported that accumulation of nutrient
stocks in the soil in the initial reclamation stages plays an important role in the
development of soil horizons and plant growth. In this context, enhancing SOM is
major importance because of bounding SOC and N, which may be mineralized and
enhance the soil fertility.
Although north Nile Delta, Egypt produce tiny percent (less than 1%) of total
global GHGs emissions, it is one of the most vulnerable areas to the expected impacts
and risks of climate change [87]. Also, there are largely degraded and salt-affected
areas in North Nile Delta [69, 70]. Coastal soils are salt-affected because of special
hydrologic and geographical conditions. The salinity in coastal areas is a limiting
factor for crop productivity as in the degraded coastal area in North Nile Delta, Egypt.
The northern coastal zone of the Nile Delta is generally low lands as well. Hence
it is vulnerable to direct and indirect impacts of climate change impacts especially
sea level rise. Therefore, the Nile Delta is expected to suffer emundation, severe
soil salinization and gradual merging under the groundwater logging and seawater
transgression. Recently conversion of coastal lands to agricultural usages is a vital
process in the deserts and coastal areas nearby Nile Delta mainly under the limitation
of soil and water resources in these drylands [70]. Therefore, rising demands for water