Carbon Management Index and Soil Organic Carbon pools of Different land use in Uttarakhand, Western Himalaya

Abstract

Himalayan soils are young, unstable and prone to erosion due to its terrain, climate responsive conditions and human activities. Thus, a research was conducted to assess the dynamics of total organic carbon, particulate organic carbon, labile and non-labile carbon, lability index and carbon management index among three distinct landuse at various soil depth in north himalayan region. Mixed forest have considerably more total organic carbon (43.0 g/kg), particulate organic carbon (5.45 g/kg) followed by agricultural total organic carbon (29.58 g/kg), particulate organic carbon (3.51 g/kg) and tea garden total organic carbon (21.96 g/kg), particulate organic carbon (2.42 g/kg). There is a greater accumulation of all the indices and carbon pools at the surface layer in all landuse system. Mixed forest have higher lability index (0.77) and carbon management index (67.76) value indicating better soil health and quality. Therefore mixed forest is considered as the best landuse system in mitigating climate change through carbon storage. This study provides key details for conservation framing and reducing land deterioration in mountainous regions.