Soil organic carbon stocks in mountain periglacial areas of northern Patagonia (Argentina)

CHRISTINA I. FRÖJD; DARIO TROMBOTTO LIAUDAT; CHRISTOPHER R. SCHEER; IVANNA PECKER MARCOSIG; PETER KUHRY

ARCTIC ANTARCTIC AND ALPINE RESEARCH

INST ARCTIC ALPINE RES

Lugar: Boulder, USA; Año: 2022

1523-0430

This study presents a detailed soilorganic carbon (SOC) inventory for two areas in the mountain periglacial zone of northern Patagonia (c. 1400 - 2000 m). Wedescribe plant cover and soil profiles 27 sites representing the main landcover classes and landform types at and above the treeline. The mean SOC 0 -100 cm storage is 2.31 kg C m-2 for the combined study areas, which includes 69% of bare groundsurfaces with negligible SOC stocks. If we consider the vegetated alpine beltonly, mean SOC 0 - 100 cm storage increases to 6.96 kg C m-2. Solifluction has resulted inareas with dense plant cover and deep soil profiles with mean SOC 0 ? 100 cm ofc. 18 kg C m-2, and amaximum total stock of 51.49 kg C m-2. Lowest SOC storages of 0.13 - 0.63 kg C m-2 are found in bare and sparselyvegetated high elevation areas with shallow and stony soils developed inpatterned ground (stripes and sorted circles). Projected future increases inambient temperature will result in an upward shift of the alpine vegetationbelt with soil development creating new areas of ecosystem carbon storage.