Evaluation of carbon sequestration potential in experimental units: challenges, methodology, and progress

Abstract

To meet the decarbonation goal, INRAE must be able to assess annual carbon absorption and storage in its soils, as well as the additional storage resulting from the implementation of carbon-storing agricultural practices. However, current methods for evaluating carbon storage remain largely insufficient, as they do not distinguish between different systems and practices.
A working group was established to develop a methodology for assessing the carbon sequestration potential of experimental units (UE), leveraging INRAE’s scientific expertise. This article presents the challenges of carbon sequestration at various scales, including INRAE’s own, the carbon-storing practices identified in the literature, the methodology used to evaluate sequestration potential in experimental unit soils, and the current progress of this initiative.
Before assessing the impact of carbon-storing practices, the first step is to diagnose current biomass and soil carbon stocks and storage within experimental units. This evaluation is currently underway for INRAE forest plots and experimental units with arable crops. The ongoing work highlights major challenges related to data collection and modeling tools, as models that take into account practices remain at the cutting edge of science but are sometimes difficult to apply at the scale of a single experimental unit.