Sequestration of inorganic carbon in soil and groundwater

Research Article| May 01, 2015 Sequestration of inorganic carbon in soil and groundwater H. Curtis Monger; H. Curtis Monger 1Plant and Environmental Sciences, MSC 3Q, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, New Mexico 88003, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Rebecca A. Kraimer; Rebecca A. Kraimer 1Plant and Environmental Sciences, MSC 3Q, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, New Mexico 88003, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Sa’eb Khresat; Sa’eb Khresat 2Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid 22110, Jordan Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar David R. Cole; David R. Cole 3School of Earth Sciences, 275 Mendenhall Laboratory, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Xiujun Wang; Xiujun Wang 4Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, USA5State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, Xinjiang 830011, China Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Jiaping Wang Jiaping Wang 5State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, Xinjiang 830011, China Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information H. Curtis Monger 1Plant and Environmental Sciences, MSC 3Q, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, New Mexico 88003, USA Rebecca A. Kraimer 1Plant and Environmental Sciences, MSC 3Q, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, New Mexico 88003, USA Sa’eb Khresat 2Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid 22110, Jordan David R. Cole 3School of Earth Sciences, 275 Mendenhall Laboratory, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA Xiujun Wang 4Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, USA5State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, Xinjiang 830011, China Jiaping Wang 5State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, Xinjiang 830011, China Publisher: Geological Society of America Received: 12 Nov 2014 Revision Received: 28 Jan 2015 Accepted: 30 Jan 2015 First Online: 09 Mar 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2682 Print ISSN: 0091-7613 © 2015 Geological Society of America Geology (2015) 43 (5): 375–378. https://doi.org/10.1130/G36449.1 Article history Received: 12 Nov 2014 Revision Received: 28 Jan 2015 Accepted: 30 Jan 2015 First Online: 09 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation H. Curtis Monger, Rebecca A. Kraimer, Sa’eb Khresat, David R. Cole, Xiujun Wang, Jiaping Wang; Sequestration of inorganic carbon in soil and groundwater. Geology 2015;; 43 (5): 375–378. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/G36449.1 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract Movement of CO2 from the atmosphere into land via photosynthesis and root respiration, the subsequent formation of bicarbonate in soil, and its storage in groundwater or precipitation as CaCO3 in dryland soils are major processes in the global carbon cycle. Together, inorganic carbon as soil carbonate (∼940 PgC) and as bicarbonate in groundwater (∼1404 PgC) surpass soil organic carbon (∼1530 PgC) as the largest terrestrial pool of carbon. Yet, despite general agreement about its huge size as a carbon pool, controversy about the potential of inorganic carbon to sequester atmospheric CO2 remains unresolved. We suggest that the controversy stems from the absence of a lexicon and propose a classification scheme that uses (1) calcium source illustrated by two widely recognized chemical reactions, and (2) the concept of carbonate “generations.” When calcium is derived from preexisting carbonate, an equilibrium reaction occurs that does not sequester carbon in soil carbonate but does sequester carbon in groundwater until bicarbonate precipitates as CaCO3. When calcium is derived from silicate minerals, a unidirectional reaction occurs that sequesters carbon in both soil carbonate and groundwater. The generations concept shows that carbon sequestration occurs only in the first generation when calcium is released directly from silicates. This classification not only enhances communication and provides a framework for quantifying amounts of fossil fuel carbon that can be sequestered within a geoengineering context, it provides more precise language for discussing the terrestrial carbon cycle through geologic time. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.