Data from long-term experiments in temperate croplands to evaluate soil organic carbon models

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Science
• Soil Science
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Soil organic carbon (SOC) models require robust validation using field data.
• Publicly available and harmonized field measurements for SOC model evaluation are scarce.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compile and share a comprehensive dataset from long-term experiments (LTEs) for SOC model evaluation.
• To facilitate independent assessment of various SOC models using consistent field data.

Main Methods:

• Collected data from 167 agronomic treatments across 34 LTEs in temperate croplands.
• Integrated climate, soil properties, crop/amendment carbon inputs, irrigation, soil cover, and SOC stock measurements.
• Calculated crop carbon inputs using yield data, harvest index, and allometric coefficients.

Main Results:

• A harmonized dataset of 1328 SOC stock measurements and 4588 crop carbon input records is now available.
• The dataset supports the evaluation of multiple SOC models including RothC, Century, AMG, MIMICS, ICBM, Millenial, and CTOOL.
• Methodological metadata and accompanying code enhance data usability and model evaluation.

Conclusions:

• The shared dataset provides a valuable resource for validating and improving SOC models.
• Enables comparative analysis of single SOC models and ensemble model performance.
• Promotes more accurate predictions of soil carbon dynamics in agricultural systems.