Agricultural liming is a carbon sink in the Mississippi River Basin.

Agricultural liming has acted as a net carbon sink in the Mississippi River Basin over the past century, removing approximately 0.44 GtCO2.

• Why it matters: Understanding the true carbon impact of liming is crucial for accurate greenhouse gas accounting and climate mitigation strategies, as current frameworks may underestimate its benefits.
• What they did: Researchers analyzed century-scale records of liming and acidity inputs, combined with river alkalinity flux data and reactive transport modeling, to assess carbon exchange dynamics.
• The result: Findings reveal that liming effectively sequesters carbon after an initial emission pulse, highlighting its potential to reduce agricultural greenhouse gases while enhancing soil health and crop yields.