Geography
Document Type
Article
Abstract
No-till management is often recognized for its environmental and economic benefits, but its potential to reduce climate warming is still uncertain. Beyond ongoing debate over its effects on soil carbon storage, no-till also leaves plant residue on the surface, which can reflect more sunlight. This increase in surface reflectivity, called albedo, may help mitigate climate change by reducing the energy absorbed by the land. Here, we assessed this climate benefit of no-till across the U.S. Corn Belt using conservation survey records, county-level tillage data, and satellite observations. We found that no-till increased land surface brightness during the dormant season, reducing absorbed solar energy by an estimated 50 grams of CO2 equivalent per square meter per year. Regionally, this could add up to 24 teragrams of CO2 equivalent per year in potential climate benefits. Areas with low adoption, especially those with dark, carbon-rich soils, offer the greatest opportunity for further mitigation. © The Author(s) 2025.
Publication Title
Communications Earth and Environment
Publication Date
2025
Volume
6
Issue
1
ISSN
2662-4435
DOI
10.1038/s43247-025-02549-x
Keywords
United States, corn belt, climate change, albedo, no-till management
Repository Citation
Wang, Xian; Barnes, Mallory; Yoder, Landon; Williams, Christopher A.; Tank, Jennifer; Royer, Todd; Suttles, Shellye; and Novick, Kim, "The potential for albedo-induced climate mitigation using no-till management in midwestern U.S. croplands" (2025). Geography. 1017.
https://commons.clarku.edu/faculty_geography/1017
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Copyright Conditions
Wang, X., Barnes, M., Yoder, L., Williams, C., Tank, J., Royer, T., ... & Novick, K. (2025). The potential for albedo-induced climate mitigation using no-till management in midwestern US croplands. Communications Earth & Environment, 6(1), 580.
