Soil carbon pools and world life zones

• Published in: Nature (London) Vol. 298; no. 5870; pp. 156 - 159
• Main Authors: Post, Wilfred M, Emanuel, William R, Zinke, Paul J, Stangenberger, Alan G
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01-01-1982
• ISSN: 0028-0836; 1476-4687
• DOI: 10.1038/298156a0

Soil organic carbon in active exchange with the atmosphere constitutes approximately two-thirds of the carbon in terrestrial ecosystems. The relatively large size and long residence time of this pool (of the order of 1,200 yr) make it a potentially important sink for carbon released to the atmosphere by fossil fuel combustion; however, in many cases human disturbance has caused a decrease in soil carbon storage. In addition to estimating the world soil carbon pool, it is important to establish the relationship between the geographical distribution of soil carbon and climate, vegetation, human development and other factors as a basis for assessing the influence of changes in any of these factors on the global carbon cycle. Our analysis of 2,700 soil profiles, organized on a climate basis using the Holdridge life-zone classification system, indicates relationships between soil carbon density and climate, a major soil forming factor. Soil carbon density generally increases with increasing precipitation, and there is an increase in soil carbon with decreasing temperature for any particular level of precipitation.