A recent study shows that applying excess nitrogen fertilisers (most of which are made from natural gas) decreases the amount of soil carbon and overall yield. There has been a long term policy of over application in order to maximise yields, but this may have had the opposite effect.
See http://www.physorg.com/news112900965.html
If we are forced to reduce application rates by the increasing cost of fossil fuels and at the same time rebuild our soils with terra preta we might be able to increase yields on land which is going to be under pressure to provide food and energy and other materials such as bioplastics.
More about Terra Preta:
http://www.georgiaitp.org/carbon/orals.htm
http://www.eprida.com/
Bioplastics
http://edition.cnn.com/2007/TECH/science/10/22/green.plastics.ap/index.html
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