Comparing soil carbon in regenerative and conventional farming: evidence from a pan-European longitudinal analysis

This research utilizes the European LUCAS (Land Use and Coverage Area frame Survey) topsoil database, a foundational "gold mine" of over 1.1 million observations, to investigate the long-term impact of agricultural management on Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) dynamics. While the LUCAS database provides a high-resolution grid (1 point every 2 km), this study applies a rigorous multi-year filter to isolate 871 high-quality monitoring sites observed continuously for at least 7 to 9 years. We specifically search for "management signals" to differentiate between Conventional and Regenerative Agriculture (RA) typologies, using direct indicators (e.g., crop rotation, cover crops) and indirect proxies (e.g., grazing intensity, reduced chemical inputs). Key Findings: Regional Divergence: Correlation between RA practices and SOC variation is poor in Central and Northern Europe due to high baselines and data saturation. The Mediterranean Hotspot: In the vulnerable, low-fertility, and erosion-prone soils of the Mediterranean, the signal is robust. Carbon Reversal: Our longitudinal analysis reveals that while conventional Mediterranean plots experienced a mean carbon stock loss of 2.63 t/ha, Regenerative Agriculture reversed this trend, achieving a net gain of 1.09 t/ha.