Direct evidence for atmospheric carbon dioxide removal via enhanced weathering in cropland soil

Enhanced weathering of soil-applied crushed silicate rocks may remove substantial atmospheric carbon dioxide; however, field testing of this negative emission technology is lacking. Models have suggested that enhanced weathering could, in principle, remove billions of tons of CO _2 each year across...

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Main Authors: Iris O Holzer, Mallika A Nocco, Benjamin Z Houlton
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: IOP Publishing 2023-01-01
Series:Environmental Research Communications
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1088/2515-7620/acfd89
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author Iris O Holzer
Mallika A Nocco
Benjamin Z Houlton
author_facet Iris O Holzer
Mallika A Nocco
Benjamin Z Houlton
author_sort Iris O Holzer
collection DOAJ
description Enhanced weathering of soil-applied crushed silicate rocks may remove substantial atmospheric carbon dioxide; however, field testing of this negative emission technology is lacking. Models have suggested that enhanced weathering could, in principle, remove billions of tons of CO _2 each year across global croplands, but methodological limitations have hindered direct measurement of CO _2 sequestration via crushed rock amendments in agriculture. Further questions remain concerning the efficacy of this technology in arid climates. Here we provide direct evidence of rapid CO _2 removal via enhanced weathering in soil pore water samples from a corn ( Zea mays L.) cropping system in California. From December through February, during an extreme drought in our study region, we demonstrate a 2.6 to 2.9-fold increase in in situ bicarbonate alkalinity in response to additions of metabasalt and olivine fines. We provide a field analysis of carbon removal via silicate rock amendments and suggest enhanced weathering can remove carbon dioxide even under moisture-limited conditions.
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spelling doaj.art-d574c43f48cf48759129ed1b808d8d982023-10-18T11:21:48ZengIOP PublishingEnvironmental Research Communications2515-76202023-01-0151010100410.1088/2515-7620/acfd89Direct evidence for atmospheric carbon dioxide removal via enhanced weathering in cropland soilIris O Holzer0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1293-7808Mallika A Nocco1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6067-8759Benjamin Z Houlton2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1414-0261Department of Land, Air and Water Resources, University of California , Davis, Davis, California, 95616, United States of AmericaDepartment of Land, Air and Water Resources, University of California , Davis, Davis, California, 95616, United States of AmericaDepartment of Land, Air and Water Resources, University of California , Davis, Davis, California, 95616, United States of America; Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Department of Global Development, Cornell University , Ithaca, New York, 14853,  United States of AmericaEnhanced weathering of soil-applied crushed silicate rocks may remove substantial atmospheric carbon dioxide; however, field testing of this negative emission technology is lacking. Models have suggested that enhanced weathering could, in principle, remove billions of tons of CO _2 each year across global croplands, but methodological limitations have hindered direct measurement of CO _2 sequestration via crushed rock amendments in agriculture. Further questions remain concerning the efficacy of this technology in arid climates. Here we provide direct evidence of rapid CO _2 removal via enhanced weathering in soil pore water samples from a corn ( Zea mays L.) cropping system in California. From December through February, during an extreme drought in our study region, we demonstrate a 2.6 to 2.9-fold increase in in situ bicarbonate alkalinity in response to additions of metabasalt and olivine fines. We provide a field analysis of carbon removal via silicate rock amendments and suggest enhanced weathering can remove carbon dioxide even under moisture-limited conditions.https://doi.org/10.1088/2515-7620/acfd89carbon dioxide removalterrestrial enhanced weatheringcrushed silicate mineralstension lysimetersdroughtcropland soils
spellingShingle Iris O Holzer
Mallika A Nocco
Benjamin Z Houlton
Direct evidence for atmospheric carbon dioxide removal via enhanced weathering in cropland soil
Environmental Research Communications
carbon dioxide removal
terrestrial enhanced weathering
crushed silicate minerals
tension lysimeters
drought
cropland soils
title Direct evidence for atmospheric carbon dioxide removal via enhanced weathering in cropland soil
title_full Direct evidence for atmospheric carbon dioxide removal via enhanced weathering in cropland soil
title_fullStr Direct evidence for atmospheric carbon dioxide removal via enhanced weathering in cropland soil
title_full_unstemmed Direct evidence for atmospheric carbon dioxide removal via enhanced weathering in cropland soil
title_short Direct evidence for atmospheric carbon dioxide removal via enhanced weathering in cropland soil
title_sort direct evidence for atmospheric carbon dioxide removal via enhanced weathering in cropland soil
topic carbon dioxide removal
terrestrial enhanced weathering
crushed silicate minerals
tension lysimeters
drought
cropland soils
url https://doi.org/10.1088/2515-7620/acfd89
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