Identifying the spatial drivers and scale-specific variations of soil organic carbon in tropical ecosystems: A case study from Knuckles Forest Reserve in Sri Lanka

Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) plays a vital role in the global carbon cycle, affecting soil fertility and agricultural sustainability. Our study focused on areas with low SOC, where increasing its levels could enhance soil health and carbon management. We used an earth science approach to analyze SOC density and stock in different land classes of the Urmodi River watershed in Maharashtra, India. Using GIS, we estimated SOC from soil samples collected up to 20 cm depth, and produced maps of SOC, SOC density (SOCD), and SOC stock. Our results showed that natural vegetation areas, such as closed and open forests, had a higher nutritional status of SOC and SOC stock, indicating the importance of land cover history on soil health. We found the average SOC to be 1.4 g/kg−1, SOCD to be 57.36 kg/m−2, SOC stock to be 3.46 ton/ha−1. We also depicted the relationship between elevation and SOCD using a scatterplot, revealing the distribution of SOC across different elevations. Our study demonstrates the use of modern geoscientific analysis tools to understand the physical and chemical properties of soil, which can be useful in assessing soil health. Overall, our results provide valuable insights into the distribution of SOC and its relationship with other geo-chemical aspects at a regional scale.

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