Regenerative agriculture: increasing plant diversity and soil carbon sequestration on agricultural landscapes

Abstract

Soil carbon sequestration is a proposed method of mitigating climate change by removing atmospheric carbon dioxide and depositing it in soil. Sustainable agricultural systems such as regenerative agriculture are capitalizing on the opportunity for soil carbon sequestration to be a positive outcome of new land management practices. Regenerative agriculture is a soil-focused approach to farming with the goal of supporting soil health by increasing biodiversity and soil-focused practices. This article explores the possibility of regenerative agriculture’s land management practices to impact soil carbon sequestration via the promotion of plant biodiversity restoration. Examining studies testing the effects of three sustainable practices on soil carbon storage: agroforestry, crop diversification, and crop rotation, as well as native restoration efforts, a positive relationship is found between plant diversity and carbon sequestration. Agroforestry benefits carbon sequestration through stable deep-rooting systems and carbon storage in biomass. Crop diversification and rotation practices encourage nutrients to cycle into the soil and diversify soil microorganisms. The overall effectiveness of these practices in different environments, upper limits to carbon sequestration, and increased nitrogen requirements are possible limitations to these practices. However, the opportunity for plant diversity to restore soil health and carbon storage is critical. With Canada’s commitments to its 2030 emissions reduction targets, increasing sustainable agricultural action may present an opportunity to reduce carbon dioxide emissions substantially while remedying issues of biodiversity and food insecurity.