Carbon storage in relation to soil size-fractions under tropical tree-based land-use systems

• Published in: Plant and soil 2010-03, Vol.328 (1-2), p.433-446
• Main Authors: Saha, Subhrajit K, Ramachandran Nair, P. K, Nair, Vimala D, Mohan Kumar, B
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agroforestry; Agrology; Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Analysis; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Biological and medical sciences; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Carbon; Carbon content; Carbon dioxide; Carbon sequestration; Clay soils; Coconuts; Ecology; Florida; Forest soils; Fractions; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General agronomy. Plant production; Global temperature changes; Global warming; India; Indonesia; Land use; Life Sciences; Organic soils; Physical properties; Physics, chemistry, biochemistry and biology of agricultural and forest soils; Plant Physiology; Plant Sciences; Regular Article; Rubber; Soil depth; Soil organic carbon; Soil science; Soil Science & Conservation; Soil structure; Soil types; Soil-plant relationships. Soil fertility; Soil-plant relationships. Soil fertility. Fertilization. Amendments; Soils; Structure, texture, density, mechanical behavior. Heat and gas exchanges; Trees
• ISSN: 0032-079X; 1573-5036
• DOI: 10.1007/s11104-009-0123-x

The extent of carbon (C) sequestration in soils under agroforestry systems in relation to soil types (fraction sizes) and vegetation structure remains largely unexplored. This study examined soil C storage, an indicator of C sequestration potential, in homegardens (HGs), natural forest, and single-species stands of coconut (Cocos nucifera), rice (Oryza sativa)-paddy, and rubber (Hevea brasiliensis), in Thrissur district, Kerala, India. Soil samples collected from four depth zones up to 1 m were fractionated to three size classes (250 - 2000 µm, 53 - 250 µm,