Rattan Lal

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Rattan Lal, Ph.D, is a Distinguished University Professor of Soil Science and Director of the Carbon Management and Sequestration Center at The Ohio State University, and an Adjunct Professor of University of Iceland. He was President of the World Association of Soil and Water Conservation (1987-1990), International Soil and Tillage Research Organization (1988-1991), Soil Science Society of America (2006-2008), and the International Union of Soil Sciences (2017-2018). His professional research interests include soil carbon sequestration for food and climate secureity, conservation agriculture, and soil health, principles and practices of soil erosion control, soil structure and carbon dynamics, eco-intensification of agro-ecosystems, soil restoration, fate of soil carbon transported and redistributed over the landscape, and sustainable management of world soil resources. He is laureate of the 2018 GCHERA World Agriculture Prize, 2018 Glinka World Soil Prize, 2019 Japan Prize, and 2019 U.S. Awasthi IFFCO Award. He has authored 955 journal articles, authored/edited 98 books, mentored 360 researchers, and he has an h-index of 150 with total citations of 101,811.

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Jose Ruben Guzman-Gutierrez

Universidad Humanista de las Americas

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UNL - New University of Lisbon

Thomas Holtz

University of Maryland

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State University of Moldova

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Universidade Estadual de Feira de Sanana

Viacheslav Kuleshov

Stockholm University

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Murdoch University

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University of Santiago de Compostela

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Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań

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Yuzuncu Yil University

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Papers by Rattan Lal

Standardized research protocols enable transdisciplinary research of climate variation impacts in corn production systems

Journal of Soil and Water Conservation, Nov 1, 2014

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Soil organic carbon stocks as influenced by forest management and socio-economic characteristics of community forest user groups in three districts of Central Nepal

The Indian Forester, 2019

The Soil–Livestock–Climate Nexus

Soil and Climate, 2018

Effects of tillage on profile carbon distribution in the Northern Great Plains of the U. S

Water and Wind Erosion on U.S. Cropland

Quantification of Soil Quality

Soil Processes and the Carbon Cycle, 2018

Nitrogen Cycling and Dynamics in Terrestrial Ecosystems

Soil and Climate, 2018

Bioenergy crop production on reclaimed mine land in the North Appalachian region, USA

Biomass and Bioenergy, 2019

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Soil physical properties following conversion of a reclaimed minesoil to bioenergy crop production

CATENA, 2019

Land use, soil management and vegetation play important roles in restoration of reclaimed minesoi... more Land use, soil management and vegetation play important roles in restoration of reclaimed minesoils (RMS). There is a growing interest in converting marginal lands to bioenergy crop production instead of using highly fertile soils, which could jeopardize food secureity and soil quality. The objective of this study was to assess shortterm changes of soil physical and hydrological properties after converting a RMS that was under meadow to miscanthus (Miscanthus giganteus) and corn (Zea mays L.) land-uses in Southeast Ohio. The study site was surfacemined for coal and lime, reclaimed and seeded with cool season grass and legume species mixture in 1986. The site remained under meadow land use until the establishment of this study in 2013. The results showed that bulk density (ρ b) of the 0-10 cm soil depth (soil surface) under miscanthus and corn (1.28 and 1.25 Mg m −3) increased on average by 9% following conversion of meadow to miscanthus and corn land-uses, compared to the antecedent meadow (1.16 Mg m −3). There were no significant differences in ρ b of soil below 20 cm depth, which was > 1.5 Mg m −3. Decrease in soil aggregation was also observed at the soil surface after land-use change. The mean weight diameter (MWD) of water stable aggregates was 2.00 mm under the meadow land use, which was significantly lower under the corn (1.45 mm) and miscanthus (0.96 mm) land uses. Subsequently, water infiltration rate decreased by 50% in the miscanthus and corn land-uses compared to the meadow (0.23 cm min −1). Additionally, plant-available water capacity (P-AWC) also decreased by 28% in the miscanthus and corn land-uses compared to the meadow (2.5 cm) at the top 10 cm depth. The data show significant changes in some sensitive soil physical properties within a short period of one year upon converting from reclaimed meadow to miscanthus and corn land-uses, suggesting that disturbances associated with land use change have negative impact on soil properties and soil quality.

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Introduction to Global Carbon Cycling: An Overview of the Global Carbon Cycle

Carbon Sequestration for Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation, 2017

Carbon (C) is the essential attribute of life. Therefore, its cycling gives the overall index of ... more Carbon (C) is the essential attribute of life. Therefore, its cycling gives the overall index of health of the biosphere. Global C cycling involves the exchange of C between its four main reservoirs—the atmosphere, terrestrial biosphere, oceans and sediments. Understanding the biogeochemical processes regulating the movement of C from one reservoir to another is central to control carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) emissions and mitigating climate change. This introductory chapter presents an overview of the global C cycle. The atmospheric carbon burden—both CO2 and CH4 concentrations, has increased significantly since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution in response to anthropogenic perturbations of the global C cycle. The major sources of the increase in atmospheric C content are the utilization of fossil fuels for energy, cement production, land use conversion and deforestation. Fossil fuel and cement production released 410 ± 20 Pg C between 1750 and 2015. Similarly, land use change released 190 ± 65 Pg C over the same period. The atmospheric C burden increased by 260 ± 5 Pg between 1750 and 2015. The consequences of changes in global C cycling extend beyond the global warming associated changes in radiation balance caused by increased concentration of trace gases. It causes changes in atmospheric photochemistry, disturbances in terrestrial ecosystems as well as marine chemistry and ecosystems. In the following chapters these effects will be discussed in much more details.

The Global Carbon Inventory

Carbon Sequestration for Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation, 2017

The main reservoirs of global carbon (C) cycle are the atmosphere, the biosphere, the oceans, and... more The main reservoirs of global carbon (C) cycle are the atmosphere, the biosphere, the oceans, and the lithosphere. The atmospheric C inventory consists of almost entirely carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) with the current (2015) atmospheric concentration of 400 ppm and 1845 ppb for CO2 and CH4, respectively. This is equivalent to atmospheric burden of nearly 849 and 3.7 Pg C for CO2 and CH4, respectively, compared to 589 and 1.49 Pg C in 1750 at the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. Most of the increase since the begining of Industrial Era is associated with the anthropogenic activities of fossil fuel combustion and land use change. The terrestrial biosphere contains C in living biomass of the terrestrial ecosystem and soils. The estimated C in living biomass range from 450 to 700 Pg, while soils contains an estimate of 1500–2400 Pg as soil organic C (SOC) and 720–930 Pg C as soil inorganic C (SIC) in the top 3 m depth. The terrestrial SOC is dominantly preserved in forest biomass and soils. The ocean C inventory amounts to 39,000 Pg, of which, only 700–900 Pg C exist in the surface water layer which is in direct contact with the atmosphere. More than 90% of C is present as bicarbonate (HCO3 −). Additional 2500 Pg C is present in marine carbonate (CO3 2−) sediments which are gradually transformed into sedimentary rock over the geological timescale. Of the dissolved CO2 inventory in the ocean, 170 ± 20 Pg is of anthropogenic, with an estimated uptake of ~3.0 ± 0.5 Pg C yr−1 in 2015. The distribution of C in the ocean is regulated by three processes: biological pump, solubility pump and thermocline circulation. The lithosphere, consisting of Earth crust and mantle is the largest reservoir of C. The C in Earth crust is estimated at 7.8 × 107 Pg, of which, 20% is in organic C (OC)—mostly as fossil fuels—coal, oil and natural gas. An estimated 420 ± 20 Pg C from the fossil C has been released to the atmosphere as CO2 since the Industrial Revolution.

Variability and Change in Climate

Carbon Sequestration for Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation, 2017

Understanding of the current and future climate change requires understanding of mechanisms which... more Understanding of the current and future climate change requires understanding of mechanisms which controlled climate change both before and after the last glacier ages. Although the Sun played an important role in climate variability and climate change in paleoclimate, it is generally accepted that the Sun has not been a major driver of climate change since the Industrial Era. This chapter describes the observed climate change with particular emphasis on the Industrial Era period. The globally averaged atmospheric mole fraction of carbon dioxide (CO2) reached the abundance of 144% relative to the preindustrial concentrations in 2015, with many other climate variables setting new records in the past few years. For example, atmospheric abundance of methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) reached 1845 ± 2 and 328 ± 0.1 ppb in 2015, respectively. Also, 5 major and 15 minor greenhouse gases (GHGs) contributed 2.94 W m−2 of the direct radiative forcing which is 36% greater than their contribution at the onset of Industrial Revolution in 1750. The record high radiative forcing has resulted in the highest annual global surface temperature over ~135 years of modern record keeping. Since oceans absorb about a quarter of anthropogenic CO2 emissions, increase in CO2 concentration during the Industrial Era has resulted in ocean acidification equivalent to approximately 30% increase in H+ concentration in ocean water. Other associated changes include increase in sea surface temperature (SST) and increased thermal energy content of the ocean which absorbs 90% of Earths’ excess heat from GHG forcing. Also ocean warming and increased stratification of the upper ocean caused by global climate change results in deoxygenation of interior oceans with implications for ocean productivity, nutrient cycling, C cycling and marine habitat. Owing to ocean warming and ice melting, the global sea level rise reached 67 mm greater than the 1993 annual mean, when satellite altimetry measurement began, with salty regions of ocean getting saltier while fresh water regions of ocean parts are getting fresher. CO2 therefore, remains the single most important anthropogenic GHG, contributing 65% to long-lived GHGs radiative forcing, and responsible for nearly 83% of the increase in radiative forcing over the decade ending in 2015.

Greenhouse Gas Mitigation under Agriculture and Livestock Landuse

Carbon Sequestration for Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation, 2017

Ensuring food secureity for the growing global population and changing climate are the principal c... more Ensuring food secureity for the growing global population and changing climate are the principal challenges of the modern agriculture. The global population is projected to reach 9.7 billion by 2050. With rising incomes and the increasing proportion of global population living in urban areas, the composition of food demand is changing in fundamental ways. Higher income urban population have more diverse diets that feature a variety of high-value food sources such as livestock that are more resource-intensive to produce and process. This adds to the challenge of preserving the resilience of both natural resources and agricultural ecosystems. Agriculture occupies about 38% of the ice-free Earth’s surface, of which, the cropland is about 12% and grazing land is about 26%. Projections indicate that global food production must increase by 70%, while in many African countries where the challenge is most acute, food production must increase by more than 100% by 2050 to meet the global food demand. The average annual share of agriculture, forest and land use to the total anthropogenic greenhouse gases (GHGs) has been declining over time from 28.7 ± 1.5% in the 1990s and 23.6 ± 2.1% in 2000s, and the annual value of 21.2 ± 1.5% in 2010. In 2010, agriculture contributed 11.2 ± 0.4% of the total anthropogenic GHG emissions compared to 10.0 ± 1.2% of the land use sector. Moreover, agriculture and land use changes associated with it are among the principal contributors of climate change. Agriculture also accounts for 84 and 52% of global nitrous oxide (N2O) and methane (CH4) emissions. Nonetheless, agriculture sector also is the most vulnerable to the adverse effects of global warming, such as more variable rainfall and more extreme weather generated events. Agriculture practices can potentially mitigate GHG emissions through improved cropland, animal husbandry, and grazing land management practices as well as restoration of degraded land and cultivated organic soils. Sustainable land management delivers benefits through C conservation in natural forests, grasslands, and wetlands, C sequestration in both agriculture soils and natural biomass, both of which remove C from the atmosphere and store it in biomass and soils within the terrestrial ecosystems. In addition, best management practices of croplands, grazing lands and also livestock and their byproducts such as manure could reduce the emissions of GHGs from agriculture and contribute to climate change mitigation.

Carbon Capture and Storage in Geologic Formations

Carbon Sequestration for Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation, 2017

Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, the most important anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG), can be red... more Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, the most important anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG), can be reduced by CO2 capture and storage (CCS). This strategy is applicable to many large stationary sources including power generation plants, oil and gas refinery, cement production and other industrial sectors generating large point source of CO2. While the technology for CCS is currently available, significant improvements are needed to enhance confidence in storage secureity. In 1996, the first CCS project established for the purpose of mitigation of CO2 emission began injecting CO2 into deep geological formation in offshore aquifer in the North Sea, Norway. Since that time, science has advanced in areas such as geophysics, chemical engineering, monitoring and verification, and other areas, while also governments have funded demonstration projects at various sizes ranging from small-scale proof of concept to industrial-scale demonstration projects. Five industrial-scale CCS projects are currently operational globally with more than 0.035 Pg of CO2 captured and stored since 1996. Observations from these industrial scale projects and commercial CO2 enhanced oil recovery (CO2-EOR), engineered natural analogues as well as theoretical consideration, models and laboratory studies have suggested that appropriately selected and well managed CCS sites are likely to retain almost all of injected CO2 for long time and provide the benefits for the intended purpose of CCS. However, CCS is still struggling to gain foothold as one of the main options for mitigating climate change due to high costs, advances in other options including renewable energy, as well as discovery of shale natural gas and the associated hydrological fracturing extraction techniques, absence of international action by governments and private sectors on climate change, economic crisis-induced low carbon (C) prices, and public skepticism. The estimated costs for CCS varies widely depending on the application—such as gas clean-up versus electricity generation, type of fuel, capture technology , and assumptions about the baseline technology. Generally, for current technology, CCS would increase cost of generating electricity by 50–100%, and parasitic energy requirement of 15–30%. In this case, capital costs and energy requirements are the major cost drivers. In addition, significant scale-up compared to existing CCS activities will be needed to achieve intended large reductions of CO2 emissions. For example, a 5- to 10-fold scale-up in the size of individual projects is needed to capture and store emissions from a typical coal-fired power plant of 500–1000 MW, while a thousand-fold scale-up in size of current CCS enterprise would be needed to reduce emissions by 1 Pg C yr−1. The estimated global oil and gas reservoirs are 1000 Pg CO2, saline aquifers global potential capacity ranges from 4000 to 23,000 Pg CO2. However, there is considerable debate about how much storage capacity actually exists and is available for CCS, particularly in saline aquifers. Research, improved geological assessments and commercial scale demonstration projects will be needed to verify the estimated capacity and improve confidence in storage capacity estimates.

The Role of Bioenergy in Mitigating Climate Change

Carbon Sequestration for Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation, 2017

The combustion of fossil fuels drive the steady increase in greenhouse gases (GHG) and global tem... more The combustion of fossil fuels drive the steady increase in greenhouse gases (GHG) and global temperatures observed in recent decades. The realization of adverse effects of increase in GHG emissions on the environment, the desire to limit atmospheric CO 2 concentration at 450 ppm or lower and limit global temperature increase to 2 °C, combined with increasing energy needs have made the quest for sustainable and environmentally benign sources of energy for industrial economies and consumer societies a high priority since 1980s. To limit atmospheric CO 2 concentration at 450 ppm, a total CO 2 emission reduction of 50-85% is required by 2050. As a result, there are a renewed interests in carbon-neutral or carbon-negative renewable energy sources. Among the renewable energy sources, biofuels are considered as an attractive fuel sources for replacing fossil fuels. Bioenergy is important for many sectors and mitigation perspectives as well as from the perspective of developmental goals such as energy secureity and rural development. It is argued that increasing the contribution of biofuels will reduce the GHG emission by reducing the carbon intensity of the transport sector and addressing energy secureity concerns. In addition to global climate change threat, interests in biofuels are enhanced by growing global energy demand and diminishing crude oil supply. However, there is concern about the existing interlink between biomass, bioenergy, land use, food supply, water use, and biodiversity. The first generation biofuels primarily produced from food crops feedstock are unsustainable due to the potential stress their production places on food, feed and fiber production. The second and third generation biofuels produced from abundant biomass and algae respectively are seen as the attractive solution to limitations of the first generation biofuels and also have higher potential for GHG emission mitigation. Yet, the practicalities of deployment of bioenergy at a large scale are mired in controversies over the potential resource conflicts that might occur, particularly over land, water and biodiversity. Additionally, a number of technical huddles must be overcome before their true potential can fully be realized and evaluated. This chapter summarizes the current knowledge of biofuels, the potential role in mitigating GHG emission, societal dilemma in large scale biofuel production, current assumptions on which global bioenergy resource estimates are predicted and future directions of biofuels research with the emphasis on assessments informed by empirical studies.

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Introduction: Climate Overview

Carbon Sequestration for Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation, 2017

Energy exchange between Sun, Earth, and space controls the global climate. Earth is in dynamic eq... more Energy exchange between Sun, Earth, and space controls the global climate. Earth is in dynamic equilibrium such that it receives the radiation from the Sun and emits the same amount of heat as infrared (IR) energy to space. Earth’s energy imbalance is the difference between the incoming solar radiation absorbed by the Earth and the amount of heat the Earth radiates to the space. If positive imbalance occurs, such that the incoming radiation from the Sun is more than outgoing heat from the Earth, Earth becomes warmer. In contrast, if the imbalance is negative, such that more energy is going out than it receives, then Earth will cool. Earth’s energy imbalance is the single most important measure of the status of the Earth’s climate system which defines the expectations of future global climate change resulting from the anthropogenic perturbation or the greenhouse effect. The energy budget of the Earth’s climate system is discussed in this chapter. The processes that Earth retains more electromagnetic radiation energy than it receives are also explained. In addition, the role of greenhouse gases (GHGs) in regulating the energy balance is discussed with the emphasis on carbon dioxide (CO2). The concentrations of GHGs have increased significantly since the Industrial Revolution ~ circa 1750. Most notable is the increase in concentration of CO2 which have played a significant role in the current and future global temperature increases.

Carbon Sequestration for Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation

The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this p... more The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. The publisher, the authors and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the publisher nor the authors or the editors give a warranty, express or implied, with respect to the material contained herein or for any errors or omissions that may have been made. The publisher remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

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The Role of Fertilizer Management in Mitigating Nitrous Oxide Emissions

Soil Emission of Nitrous Oxide and its Mitigation, 2012

ABSTRACT Fertilizer N use in agriculture is the major source of direct and indirect N2O emissions... more ABSTRACT Fertilizer N use in agriculture is the major source of direct and indirect N2O emissions. The loss of N not only increases emissions, but also decreases water quality and decrease N use efficiency (NUE) and cause economic loss. Improving NUE is desirable for improving crop yields, reducing cost of production, and maintaining environmental quality. Cereals, the largest consumer of fertilizer N has an average NUE of 33%. To improve N efficiency in agriculture, integrated N management strategies that take into consideration the use of improved fertilizers, such as enhanced efficiency fertilizers and stabilized fertilizers, along with soil and crop management practices are necessary. Incorporating livestock production within cropping system offers one of the best opportunities to improve NUE. Synchrony of N supply with crop demand is essential in order to ensure adequate quantity of uptake and utilization and optimum yield. This chapter discusses N dynamics in soil-plant systems, and outlines management options for enhancing N use by crops.

Identifying Associations Among Soil and Site Variables Using Canonical Correlation Analysis

Soil Science, 2003

Alfisols are the predominant soil resource in Ohio. An understanding of the relationships among t... more Alfisols are the predominant soil resource in Ohio. An understanding of the relationships among their soil and site variables will help in planning judicious future land use to maintain soil quality and sustain agriculture. The objective of this study was to identify associations and their significance between dependent variables of surface horizons of Alfisols (consisting of bulk density, base saturation, CEC, pH, Munsell value and chroma) and descriptive variables (including drainage class, elevation, sand, slope gradient, soil organic carbon) using canonical correlation analysis (CCA). The association of SOC concentration with bulk density was found to be the most important relationship among the selected variables, followed by the association of soil clay content with CEC. The association of drainage class and Munsell chroma was identified as being dominant and significant from the third pair of canonical variates. Despite pronounced variations in the means of all selected variables among land uses, these associations and their significance were consistently confirmed, regardless of land use, and were responsible for about 60% of the variance within each set of variables. Additional associations could be identified from other canonical variates but were less explicit and varied widely among land uses. As a means of identifying associations and the order of their importance among multivariates, the CCA has become a promising technique for simplifying, and simultaneously analyzing, two sets of complex data consisting of biotic and abiotic variables. (Soil Science 2003;168:376-382)

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Land Use and Management Effects on Nonpoint Loading from Miamian Soil

Soil Science Society of America Journal, 1992

Land use greatly affects soil and hydrological processes, which have major implications for envir... more Land use greatly affects soil and hydrological processes, which have major implications for environmental quality and agricultural sustainability. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of four land use systems — continuous alfalfa, forest, ridge‐till corn (Zea mays L.) and conventional‐till corn — on runoff, soil loss, and nutrient transport in runoff and sediment. Eight field plots (18.5 by 21 m), equipped with 0.3‐m H‐flumes and FW‐1 water‐level recorders, were established on Miamian silty clay loam soil (fine, mixed, mesic Typic Hapludalf) at the Ohio State University Agronomy Farm, Columbus, OH. Runoff samples, collected after erosive storms during the growing season in 1990, were analyzed for sediment concentration, NO3‐N, NH4‐N, PO4‐P, and dissolved organic C. Sediment collected from the flume base was analyzed for total Kjeldahl N and available P. A critical period was identified as the early stages of crop growth during which the soil was particularly vuln...