Application des techniques C-13 à l\u27exploration du potentiel de séquestration du carbone des sols acides calcaires de Trinidad

Carbon dioxide (CO2) accounts for the largest proportion (74%) of total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions globally, with agricultural activities contributing approximately 25% of this gas. Opportunities to reduce the emissions in the sector can therefore contribute significantly to mitigating global climate change. Ag-lime is used extensively to alleviate problems of soil acidity and the potential for this material to contribute to C sequestration in soils is gaining interest among researchers. A laboratory experiment using C-13 isotopic labelling techniques was therefore established to answer the following questions: 1) Is there a potential for sequestering C using ag-lime in Trinidad acid soils? 2) Does enhancing soil microbial respiration by applying labile organic amendments enhance the C sequestration potential of ag-lime? 3) Are lime-derived C (LDC) estimates from non-isotopic difference technique comparable to that from the C- 13 isotopic labelling technique? The results ascertained for the study showed significant (P<0.05) differences between the LDC estimates from the two techniques with the non-isotopic techniques yielding higher estimates. Over the 32- day experiment, between 16.4 to 85.4% of the ag-lime C was released as CO2 with values being lower for the Piarco soil. The LDC in the CO2 was also significantly (P