Mini Review of Soil Carbon Sequestration (SCS): Mechanisms, Influencing Factors, Benefits

Soil carbon sequestration (SCS) is a key mechanism for climate change mitigation through reducing carbon dioxide emissions to the atmosphere and enhancing soil fertility. This mini review explains the physical, chemical and biological processes that influence SCS and how they contribute to soil organic carbon stabilization. The key influencing factors consist of soil texture and structure, soil pH, land use and management practices such as cover cropping, conservation tillage and agroforestry. Climatic factors such as temperature and moisture, as well as microbial communities play a part in facilitating greater carbon storage in the soil. This SCS provides several advantages such as enhancing soil nutrients and physical properties, augmenting food production, increasing diversity and resilience of soil organisms and potentially provide an economic opportunity for farmers (with a carbon credit market) while alleviating global warming. In this review, we summarize the major drivers influencing SCS and the prospects for adopting sustainable practices to optimize SOC, along with its associated benefits for both ecology and agriculture.