## 10 Conclusions  
Accelerated erosion is among the most dominant soil degradation processes globally. It is a selective process involving preferential removal of SOC along with fine particles. Thus, erosion leads to the lateral transport of SOC over the landscape, which may be vulnerable to decomposition and the attendant gaseous emissions (CO\({}_{2}\), CH\({}_{4}\), N\({}_{2}\)O), with positive feedback to climate change. The synthesis of the literature supports the following conclusions.  
The synthesis of the literature presented herein proves the specific hypotheses that the SOC transported during stages I to III is a major source of GHGs, and the magnitude of the emission depends on site-specific temperature and moisture regimes and other physiologic and pedological conditions. The deep burial and reformation of aggregates (stages IV and V)can reduce the rate of mineralization. However, the prevalence of anaerobic conditions at depositional sites may aggravate methanogenesis, leading to the emission of CH\({}_{4}\) and the nitrification and denitrification processes leading to the emission of N\({}_{2}\)O. The net effect of the erosional process, from stage I through the transport in aquatic ecosystems (stage VI), may lead to the emission of GHGs. Despite the local and global significance, the magnitude of soil C being transported by the erosional processes is not currently being accounted for in local, regional, national, and global C budgets, but it must be duly accounted for. Furthermore, the re-distribution of C over the landscape and its deep burial does not indicate a sequestration of new C within the landscape. Any redistribution of SOC or SIC over the landscape is not to be confused with sequestration.  
Key conclusions from the review are as follows:  
* Sediment transported by the hydric and aeolian process are enriched with SOC and have a high SOC-ER and SON-ER;
* Whereas erosion-induced transport of SOC is prone to mineralization and exposure to microbial processes, emissions are relatively high at stages I to III of the hydric processes;
* Gaseous emissions are also observed at the depositional sites and in the aquatic ecosystems (e.g., river, riparian zone, lakes, and oceans, stage VI);
* Loess deposits are also prone to mineralization and GHG emissions;
* Re-carbonatization and deep burial of SOC may limit mineralization of SOC;
* Lateral transport of SOC by erosional processes to deposition and burial in depressional sites (stages III to V)and aquatic ecosystems(stage VI) is redistribution rather than a new sequestration of atmospheric CO\({}_{2}\);
* Buried SOC may be vulnerable to decomposition because of the climate change and other anthropogenic activities, leading to the emission of CO\({}_{2}\), CH\({}_{4}\), and N\({}_{2}\)O;
* Thus, a prudent strategy is to minimize the risks of soil erosion through the adoption of judicious land use and site-specific BMPs.  
This research received no external funding and was funded by the CFAES Rattan Lal Center for Carbon Management and Sequestration.  
Not applicable.  
Data Availability StatementData and Research cited in the text and tables in support of the contents have been appropriately sourced in the bibliography.  
The author declares no conflict of interest supporting data, and appropriate references are listed in Tables 1 and 2.