Latin America (LA) currently releases over 400 and 100 Tg C/year from fossil fuels and deforestation, respectively. This book shows that it could sequester 18 and 9 Tg C/year from reforestation and improved land management, respectively. It is a useful collection of information for those who are prepared to sort through it. The 24 multi-author chapters are the outcome of a US-funded workshop on the impact of land use change and soil/crop/pasture management on soil C stocks and fluxes in LA. The presentation is generally adequate apart from some annoying errors (e.g. mg instead of Mg).
The introductory and overview chapters provide a useful summary of the potential for soil C sequestration in LA. Part two, which covers the potential for soil C sequestration in different biomes and forms 60% of the book, is of uneven quality, representing both the contrasting levels of knowledge in different parts of LA and the extent to which workshop participants could adequately cover their chosen areas. Part three covers new methods that may prove to be useful for estimating soil carbon: LIBS near- and mid-IR spectroscopy, and INS. There are also useful chapters on project design and sampling, bulk density measurement and a brief chapter on the role of modelling. The final chapter contains recommendations for R&D, addressed to government policy-makers, funders and land managers.
