Loss on ignition testing has historically been a great way to get an estimate of the amount of carbon in a soil. Here in the lab, we run our samples through a drying oven to dry the soils, and then through a furnace to "burn off" the organic matter. We then do some calculations to get an estimate of the total carbon in the soil; we subscribe to the notion (e.g., Pribyl 2010) that SOM is typically 2X SOC. So 6% SOM would be 3% SOC.

Knowing how much organic carbon is in the soil is a strong indicator of soil productivity, and thus, soil health. Building SOM or SOC represents a foundational "climate-smart" agricultural practice that provides insurance of sorts for farmers, ranchers, and scientists alike. After all, if you're building SOM (and building soil), you are not losing topsoil downstream or downwind, one erosion event at a time!