SOC Tier 1: Does the tool account for emissions from natural mineralisation of soil organic matter?
Both our Tier 1 and Tier 2 SOC model use the same approach to account for annual nitrogen released through the natural breakdown of soil organic matter, but only if there is a loss of soil carbon due to changes in land use (Tier 1 only) or management (Tier 1 and 2). This includes nitrogen lost through leaching and direct emissions.
Additionally, we follow the IPCC 2019 guidelines to account for nitrogen that escapes into the air (i.e. volatilisation), direct and leached emissions when fertilisers are applied. Therefore, soil N2O emissions are considered only when there are fertiliser inputs or carbon losses from the soil, as it requires these inputs to calculate the emissions accurately.
For more details, please see the technical description.
Related Articles
Does the tool account for emissions from natural mineralisation of soil organic matter?
Yes, the tool accounts for the annual nitrogen released through the natural breakdown of soil organic matter, but only if there is a loss of soil carbon due to changes in land use or management. This includes nitrogen lost through leaching and direct ...
Why is carbon sequestration potential bigger for soils with a high Soil Organic Matter than for soils with a low SOM?
The Cool Farm Tool uses IPCC Tier 1 method as the basis of its soil carbon module. This method observes that soil carbon stock under annual production is a fixed fraction of the native (pre-agriculture) carbon stock. It also says that changing ...
SOC Tier 1: How does it estimate soil carbon change due to management interventions?
The SOC Tier 1 model calculates changes in soil carbon, whether it involves emissions or sequestration, by considering historical changes in land use change, tillage and carbon input. The method used aligns with the IPCC 2019 guidelines for land use, ...
Does the Cool Farm Tool consider fertiliser production emissions?
Yes, the carbon footprints of Cool Farm Tool include fertiliser production emissions and considers different regions of production
Soil characteristics: I don’t see any data requirements on soil organic carbon, soil pH, and soil drainage.
Correct, this data is no longer needed in the Cool Farm Platform. Any soil data that may be required has been moved to the 'Soil Carbon Changes' section and is dependent on the model you choose.