Measuring and modelling soil carbon stocks and stock changes in livestock production systems : guidelines for assessment ; Version 1 - Advanced copy

Make sure to use the latest version by visiting The designations employed and the presentation of material in this information product do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) concerning the legal or development status of any country, territory, city o. [...] To estimate the amount of recoverable oil in a region, for example, a few sample holes might be drilled, or to estimate the abundance of a rare and endangered bird species, the abundance of birds in the population might be estimated on the pattern of detections from a sample of sites in the study region. [...] In both cases, estimated relationships should not be extrapolated beyond the period of the last measurement, as changes in SOC cannot be assumed to be constant over time DATA MANAGEMENT AND REPORTING Complementary data The geographical coordinates of the sampling location and of the boundaries 4.1.1 of the represented area shall always be documented. [...] Choice of model The choice of modelling approach should consider the purpose and spatial 6.3 scale of the study, as well as the availability of quality data to run the model. [...] At this early stage the main objective should be the selection of the most rigorous method possible considering the available financial resources and the aim of the assessment, which could vary depending on what spatial scale and land use and management are of particular interest.