The pool of organic carbon in the soils of Russia

Abstract

An automated information system making it possible to estimate spatial distribution of soil organic carbon pool with a high spatial resolution (1 km2) has been developed. According to the obtained estimates, the total pool of organic carbon in the 1-m-deep soil layer on the territory of Russia reaches 317.1 Pg; the average organic carbon density in this layer for the entire Russia constitutes 19.2 kg C/m2. Of this amount, 14.4 Pg (or 0.90 kg C/m2) is stored in the litter horizon. The developed algorithm allows us to refine the results with the acquisition of new data on soils, vegetation, and the degree of their disturbance, which is particularly important in the changing world.