Accumulation of soil organic carbon linked to Holocene sea level changes in West Greenland

• Main Authors: Jensen, Louise A., Schmidt, Lea Bjerre, Hollesen, Jørgen, Elberling, Bo
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2006
• Subjects: Arctic; Greenland; Antarctic and Alpine Research
• Online Access: https://curis.ku.dk/portal/da/publications/accumulation-of-soil-organic-carbon-linked-to-holocene-sea-level-changes-in-west-greenland(9e9925fc-a8fb-4c78-b423-7901b3ba03be).html; https://doi.org/10.1657/1523-0430(2006)38[378:AOSOCL]2.0.CO;2; http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=33748770680&partnerID=8YFLogxK

Changes in the amount of soil organic carbon (SOC) stored in arctic soils may influence the global carbon cycle and be an important feedback mechanism to global climate changes. In order to estimate the carbon stock and accumulation rates at Flakkerhuk on Disko Island in West Greenland, an 1800-ha study area was divided into land cover types using a satellite image. Total SOC was estimated to be on average 67.3 ton C ha -1 (6.7 kg m -2 ) and the fen area contributing 42% of the total SOC. Soil profiles investigated at different terraces revealed that the SOC stock was significantly age-related, increasing six fold from a terrace dated to 7000 (BP) to one dated to 10,000 (BP). This equals an average soil C accumulation rate of 0.5 kg C m -2 100 yr -1 . This rate was compared to vegetation-specific accumulation rates in the last 7000 yr which were in the order of 0.05 kg C m -2 100 yr -1 in heath and sparse vegetation, 0.4 in fen areas and between 2 and 5 kg C m -2 the last 100 yr in the present salt marsh. The study shows the importance of landscape history and age when sampling and evaluating SOC stocks and provides estimates of arctic soil C accumulation rates during Holocene versus present rates.