The predicted increase in atmospheric temperatures is expected to affect the turnover of soil organic carbon in permafrost soils through modifications of the soil thermal regime. However, the tundra biome is formed of a mosaic of diverse landscape types with differing patterns of soil organic carbon storage and partitioning. Among these, differences in e.g. vegetation diversity and soil movements due to freeze-thaw processes are of main importance for assessing potential C remobilization under a changing climate. In this study, we described the storage of soil organic carbon (SOC) and the aboveground phytomass carbon in relation to geomorphology and periglacial features for two areas on Taymir Peninsula (Arctic Russia). An average of 29.5 kg C m-2, calculated by upscaling with a land cover classification, is stored in the upper soil meter at these two study sites. The mean C phytomass storage amounts to ca.0.406 Kg C m-2, or only 1.38% of the total SOC storage. The topography, at different scales, plays an important role in the carbon partitioning. High amounts of soil organic carbon are found in highland areas and within the patterned ground features found in peatlands. The highest amounts of aboveground phytomass carbon are found in deciduous shrubs and moss layers. The large variability in carbon distribution within land cover types among the sites reveals the challenge of upscaling the carbon storage values over the Arctic and thus highlight the necessity to carry out detailed field inventories in this region.

abstract: Soil organic carbon (SOC) is a critical component of the global carbon (C) cycle, accounting for more C than the biotic and atmospheric pools combined. Microbes play an important role in soil C cycling, with abiotic conditions such as soil moisture and temperature governing microbial activity and subsequent soil C processes. Predictions for future climate include warmer temperatures and altered precipitation regimes, suggesting impacts on future soil C cycling. However, it is uncertain how soil microbial communities and subsequent soil organic carbon pools will respond to these changes, particularly in dryland ecosystems. A knowledge gap exists in soil microbial community responses to short- versus long-term precipitation alteration in dryland systems. Assessing soil C cycle processes and microbial community responses under current and altered precipitation patterns will aid in understanding how C pools and cycling might be altered by climate change. This study investigates how soil microbial communities are influenced by established climate regimes and extreme changes in short-term precipitation patterns across a 1000 m elevation gradient in northern Arizona, where precipitation increases with elevation. Precipitation was manipulated (50% addition and 50% exclusion of ambient rainfall) for two summer rainy seasons at five sites across the elevation gradient. In situ and ex situ soil CO2 flux, microbial biomass C, extracellular enzyme activity, and SOC were measured in precipitation treatments in all sites. Soil CO2 flux, microbial biomass C, extracellular enzyme activity, and SOC were highest at the three highest elevation sites compared to the two lowest elevation sites. Within sites, precipitation treatments did not change microbial biomass C, extracellular enzyme activity, and SOC. Soil CO2 flux was greater under precipitation addition treatments than exclusion treatments at both the highest elevation site and second lowest elevation site. Ex situ respiration differed among the precipitation treatments only at the lowest elevation site, where respiration was enhanced in the precipitation addition plots. These results suggest soil C cycling will respond to long-term changes in precipitation, but pools and fluxes of carbon will likely show site-specific sensitivities to short-term precipitation patterns that are also expected with climate change. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Biology 2019

Soil organic carbon (SOC) is the largest carbon pool in terrestrial ecosystems, which plays an important role in climate change by regulating atmospheric carbon dioxide. Sweden’s forest management has led to a decrease in old growth forests. This change in land use can affect SOC levels in these forests. This report quantified SOC stocks among different wetness classes in 10 old growth forests across multiple regional environmental gradients in Sweden. I tested for the effects of some different environmental factors on SOC: temperature, precipitation, altitude, stem basal area, latitude, and normalized difference vegetation index. Soil measurements were taken from three different horizons: the O-, E-, and B-horizon. The results showed that the mean SOC stock in old growth forests (5.25 ± 0.60 kg m-2)  is a bit higher than the regional average (4.1 ± 0.5 kg m-2) and that local variation within forests, mainly due to hydrology, appears to drive variation that is often as big or larger than regional variations. There were no significant differences between the different forests, but there were significant differences found between the different wetness classes. There were several correlations found between the different regional environmental factors and SOC stocks. The most prominent relationship was a positive link between the O-horizons’ SOC stocks and temperature (R2adj = 0.58). Overall, these results indicate that SOC stocks in old growth forests are affected by both soil wetness at a local scale and air temperature at a regional scale; and that they might contain a slightly larger amount of SOC than managed forests.

Farmers have been disrupting the carbon cycle ever since humans started converting forests to agricultural lands. But are there farming practices that can be applied to increase the carbon storage in the soil and subsequently counteract increasing carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere? In this study I investigate if soil organic matter (SOM) and soil organic carbon (SOC) change with longer interruption between tillage events. The study was conducted by studying SOM concentrations and SOC pools in eight fields with different time since tillage (1 to 14 years). I found that SOM concentrations increased in the O horizon of the studied soil in response to increased time since tillage. Here, SOM concentrations were on average around 13 % one year after tillage, while fourteen-year-old farmland had a concentration around 15 %. In similar, SOC pool increased from around 0.1 kg C m-2 in the O horizon of 1 year old soil to 0.33 kg C m-2 14 years after tillage. While both SOM concentrations and SOC pools increased in the O horizon over time since tillage, the SOM concentration and SOC pools decreased in the subsoil. I found no net sequestering of SOC in response to less frequent tillage in comparison to more frequency tillage. My conclusion is that limiting tillage to 14-year cycles is not enough to increase carbon sequestration.

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En los últimos 150 años la humanidad incrementó la emisión de CO2, acelerando el calentamiento atmosférico global. La retención de carbono orgánico en los suelos (COS) mitiga dicho efecto y contribuye a mejorar la calidad del recurso. Los factores que regulan el COS pueden analizarse desde la perspectiva pedológica utilizando la ecuación de estado, que postula que modificaciones en los factores formadores (FF) producirán variaciones en los procesos pedogenéticos (PP) y cambios en las propiedades de los suelos. Los objetivos de la presente tesis fueron: i) Cuantificar los niveles de COS en regiones geográficas homogéneas y establecer su variación a través del paisaje; ii) Evaluar efectos por cambio en la condición climática sobre COS en suelos de granulométrica homogénea y similar relieve; iii) Establecer efectos sobre COS por cambios en los materiales parentales (MP) en condiciones análogas de relieve y clima; iiii) Determinar la acción antrópica por diferentes usos de la tierra e intensidades de uso agrícola. El área de estudio se ubicó en la Pampa Austral, abarcando 110 perfiles en los que se evaluaron 15 variables de sitio, morfológicas, físicas, químicas, biológicas y taxonómicas. Los resultados indicaron que el relieve fue el FF de mayor influencia sobre COS y que la incidencia del resto de los FF varió en función del mismo. Las llanuras de inundación presentaron los más altos contenidos de COS, superando a los valles interserranos y paleocauces, seguidos de planos normales o cóncavos, lomadas y laderas. El análisis jerárquico permitió una mayor comprensión de los FF, PP y mejor predicción del COS. El clima ejerce una acción positiva afectada por el relieve y el MP. En suelos de sedimentos loéssicos y en planos normales la precipitación media anual y la profundidad efectiva en conjunto explicaron un 49 % de la variabilidad del COS (P <0,01). Los MP ejercieron influencia regional sobre COS (r= 0,28, P <0,05, N= 110), aún con la interferencia de otros FF. Los sedimentos aluviales presentaron elevados niveles de COS (171 Mg ha-1), seguido por los sedimentos loéssicos (108 Mg ha-1) y sedimentos eólicos recientes (81 Mg ha-1). El uso produjo cambios en el carbono de 0-25 cm y en el carbono orgánico de 0-1 m. El uso forestal mostró los más altos contenidos de CO0-25 en todos los materiales parentales. La intensidad del uso impactó de manera diferencial sobre el COS en función de la granulometría. Bajo agricultura extractiva los suelos de texturas gruesas presentaron mermas del 60 % en CO. La inclusión de siembra directa y pasturas puede lograr retenciones de 0,7 Mg ha-1 año-1. Se ha demostrado que el relieve es el FF que regula los niveles de COS de la región, modificando el balance de los PP. COS mostró respuesta a la intensidad de la melanización. Los PP modificaron su relación en función de la profundidad efectiva: los suelos someros presentaron melanización intensa, mientras que los suelos profundos redujeron la misma a favor de la iluviación o la alcalinización. La clasificación taxonómica a nivel de familia reflejó claramente los principales FF y PP que ocurren en la Pampa Austral. Las taxas de suelos segregadas y los contenidos de carbono orgánico presentaron una fuerte asociación, lográndose a partir de ellas una mayor certidumbre en la explicación de la variabilidad del COS. Palabras claves: Carbono orgánico del suelo, factores formadores, procesos pedogenéticos, usos del suelo, retención de carbono, Pampa Austral. / Human activity increased CO2 emissions in the last 150 years, accelerating global atmospheric warming. Soil organic carbon storage (SOC) mitigates warming and helps to improving soil quality. Factors that regulate SOC can be analyzed from the pedological approach using the equation of state factors, says changes in the soil forming factors (FF) and their interactions produce variations in pedogenic processes (PP) and changes in soil properties. The objectives of this thesis were: i) measure SOC levels in homogeneous geographic region and analyzing variability across landscape; ii) measure effects of change climatic condition of SOC in soils with similar parent material (PM) and relief; iii) quantify effects on SOC for changes in PM to similar conditions of relief and climate; iiii) determine antropic effects by different land uses and management practices. The study area was located in Austral Pampa, using 110 soil profiles in which 15 site, morphological, physical, chemical, biological and taxonomic variables were evaluated. Results indicated that relief was the most influential FF on SOC, and the incidence of the remaining FF varied according to the same. Flood-plains showed the highest SOC level, followed by saw-valleys and paleo-valleys, normal flats, concave flats, hills and slopes. Hierarchical analysis showed greater understanding of the FF, PP and better prediction of SOC. The climate has a positive effect modified by relief and PM. In soils of loess sediments located in normal flats annual average rainfall and the effective depth explained 49% of the SOC variability (P <0.01). PM presented a regional effect on COS (r = 0.28, P <0.05, N= 110), despite the interference from other FF. Alluvial sediments showed high COS levels (171 Mg ha-1) followed by loess sediments (108 Mg ha-1) and recent aeolian sediments (81 Mg ha-1). Land use produced changes in 0-25 cm and 0-1 m organic carbon. Forest use showed the highest organic carbon content in 0-25 cm on all parent materials. Tillage systems and management practices impacted differently on the SOC in relation to soil texture. Intensive farming in coarse soils showed declines of 60% in CO. No-tillage and pasture showed retention rates of 0.7 Mg ha-1 yr-1. Relief is the main FF regulating COS levels in the region and the balance of the PP, and responded to intensity of melanization. PP changed their relationship as a function of effective depth: shallow soils showed intense melanization, whereas deep soils reduced melanization in favor of illuviation or alkalinization. Soil Taxonomy family level reflected clearly the main FF and PP occurring in the Austral Pampa. Soil taxas segregated and organic carbon contents showed a strong association, improving the explanation of SOC variability. Keywords: Soil organic carbon, soil forming factors, pedogenetic processes, land use, carbon retention, Austral Pampa.

Global urbanization has resulted in rapidly increased urban land. Soils are the foundation that supports plant growth and human activities in urban areas. Furthermore, urban soils have potential to provide a carbon sink to mitigate greenhouse gas emission and climate change. However, typical urban land development practices including vegetation clearing, topsoil removal, stockpiling, compaction, grading and building result in degraded soils. In this work, we evaluated an urban soil rehabilitation technique that includes compost incorporation to a 60-cm depth via deep tillage followed by more typical topsoil replacement. Our objectives were to assess the change in soil physical characteristics, soil carbon sequestration, greenhouse gas emissions, and stormwater mitigation after both typical urban land development practices and post-development rehabilitation. We found typical urban land development practices altered soil properties dramatically including increasing bulk density, decreasing aggregation and decreasing soil permeability. In the surface soils, construction activities broke macroaggregates into smaller fractions leading to carbon loss, even in the most stable mineral-bound carbon pool. We evaluated the effects of the soil rehabilitation technique under study, profile rebuilding, on soils exposed to these typical land development practices. Profile rebuilding incorporates compost amendment and deep tillage to address subsoil compaction. In the subsurface soils, profile rebuilding increased carbon storage in available and aggregate-protected carbon pools and microbial biomass which could partially offset soil carbon loss resulting from land development. Yet, urban soil rehabilitation increased greenhouse gas emissions while typical land development resulted in similar greenhouse gas emissions compared to undisturbed soils. Additionally, rehabilitated soils had higher saturated soil hydraulic conductivity in subsurface soils compared to other practices which could help mitigate stormwater runoff in urban areas. In our study, we found urban soil management practices can have a significant impact on urban ecosystem service provision. However, broader study integrating urban soil management practices with other ecosystem elements, such as vegetation, will help further develop effective strategies for sustainable cities. / Ph. D.