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Carbon and Nitrogen in Danish Forest Soils—Contents and Distribution Determined by Soil Order
Author(s) -
Vejre Henrik,
Callesen Ingeborg,
Vesterdal Lars,
Raulund-Rasmussen Karsten
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
soil science society of america journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.836
H-Index - 168
eISSN - 1435-0661
pISSN - 0361-5995
DOI - 10.2136/sssaj2003.3350
Subject(s) - podzol , soil water , entisol , udic moisture regime , alfisol , soil carbon , soil science , environmental science , inceptisol , humus , soil horizon , loam , soil organic matter , total organic carbon , agronomy , chemistry , environmental chemistry , biology
Increasing atmospheric CO 2 concentrations, and widespread deposition of N to terrestrial ecosystems has increased the focus on soil C and N pools. The aim of this study was to estimate the size and distribution of organic C and N pools in well‐drained Danish forest soils. We examined 140 forest soil profiles from pedological surveys of Danish forest soils. We calculated total C and N pools in organic layers and mineral soils to a depth of 1 m. The profiles represent variations in texture (sandy to loamy), and soil order (USDA soil taxonomy Spodosols, Alfisols, Entisols, and Inceptisols). The average total organic C and N contents were 12.5 and 0.61 kg m −2 respectively. There were large differences in total C and N among soil orders. Spodosols had the greatest C content (14.6 kg m −2 ), and Alfisols the least (8.8 kg m −2 ), while the N content was highest in Alfisols (0.75 kg m −2 ) and least in Spodosols (0.51 kg m −2 ). The main contributor to the high C content in Spodosols is the spodic horizons containing illuvial humus, and thick organic horizons. Carbon and N concentrations decreased with soil depth. Soil clay content was negatively correlated to C content and positively correlated to N content. Soil order and horizon designations may be useful in predicting the total C and N content of Danish forest soils, and may also predict potential for C sequestration following afforestation of arable land.