The Soil Health Institute and Yard Stick PBC Publish on Innovative Soil Carbon Measurement Technology
A new handheld tool shows promise for measuring soil carbon stocks at scale, a crucial step in quantifying regenerative agriculture’s capacity for carbon sequestration.
Current methods for measuring carbon stored in soil involve collecting samples and shipping them to a lab for analysis. A new study from the Soil Health Institute and Yard Stick PBC shows a handheld probe can accurately measure soil carbon stocks up to 45 cm (nearly 18 inches) deep right in the field, saving time and money.
The probe uses visible and near-infrared spectroscopy to reveal soil’s molecular composition based on how different components in the soil reflect the wavelengths emitted by the probe.
In the ARPA-E-funded study, the researchers took handheld probe measurements and corresponding soil core samples from six farms across Illinois. By comparing the probe’s readings to lab analysis of the soil cores, they confirmed that the probe performed well for estimating soil organic carbon stocks.
“This probe presents an inexpensive yet accurate avenue for measurement-based carbon markets,” says Dr. Ayush Joshi Gyawali, a Research Soil Scientist at the Soil Health Institute and the study’s lead author.
Co-authors of the study in the journal Geoderma include Marissa Wiseman, Sarah Coffman, and Kevin Meissner of Yard Stick PBC; SHI Research Soil Scientist and Program Director Dr. Jason Ackerson; and SHI Chief Scientific Officer Dr. Cristine Morgan.
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