Articles | Volume 12, issue 2
https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-12-791-2026
https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-12-791-2026
Original research article
 | 
28 Jul 2026
Original research article |  | 28 Jul 2026

The pH and available phosphorus as primary drivers of compost-induced CO2 emissions from Malaysian tropical soil: empirical relationships

Xingxing Cheng, Faridah Othman, Rosazlin Abdullah, and Chiu Chuen Onn

Cited articles

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Bai, Z., Caspari, T., Ruiperez Gonzalez, M., Batjes, N. H., Mäder, P., Bünemann, E. K., de Goede, R., Brussaard, L., Xu, M., Santos Ferreira, C. S., Reintam, E., Fan, H., Mihelič, R., Glavan, M., and Tóth, Z.: Effects of agricultural management practices on soil quality: A review of long-term experiments for Europe and China, Agr. Ecosyst. Environ., 265, 1–7, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2018.05.028, 2018. 
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Short summary
This study examined how different composts affect carbon dioxide emissions from tropical soil. We found that soil phosphorus and pH are key drivers and chicken dung compost resulting in the highest CO2 release. The work shows that compost is not carbon neutral; its environmental impact depends on how it changes the soil. This research helps farmers select composts that enhance soil health while curbing emissions, advancing climate-friendly tropical agriculture.
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