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Changes in soil organic carbon stocks from the 1980s­–2010s in northwest arid zone of China
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  • Zipeng Zhang,
  • Jian-Li Ding,
  • Chuan-Mei Zhu,
  • Hao-bo Shi,
  • Xiang-Yue Chen,
  • Jing-Zhe Wang,
  • Li-Jing Han
Zipeng Zhang
Xinjiang University

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Jian-Li Ding
Xinjiang University
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Chuan-Mei Zhu
Xinjiang University
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Hao-bo Shi
Xinjiang University
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Xiang-Yue Chen
Lanzhou University
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Jing-Zhe Wang
Shenzhen University
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Li-Jing Han
Xinjiang University
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Abstract

Soil is the largest carbon reservoir in terrestrial ecosystems, and thus minor changes in it can dramatically affect atmospheric CO 2 concentrations. The fragile ecological environment in the northwestern arid zone of China is susceptible to natural and anthropogenic disturbances, which lead to variations in structure and function of the ecosystem, as well as carbon source–sink dynamics. In this study, digital soil maps of soil organic carbon stocks (SOCS) were produced at a 90-m resolution for two periods (the 1980s and 2010s) based on historical soil profile data and a random forest model. The results showed that the prediction accuracy for SOCS in the topsoil (0–30 cm) was superior to that of the subsoil (30–100 cm). Among them, the mean annual evapotranspiration, normalized difference vegetation index during the growing season, multi-year mean temperature, and clay content were the main environmental factors affecting the spatial distribution of SOCS. In the past 30 years, the SOCS of the northwestern arid zone have decreased by 585.50 Tg, with a mean decline of 19.52 Tg C yr -1. The changes in SOCS caused by land-use conversion and reductions in SOCS were further shown to be attributable to grassland desertification and agricultural reclamation. These findings are valuable for exploring the carbon cycle in terrestrial ecosystems in the context of global climate change and for achieving China’s goal of carbon neutrality.
08 Mar 2022Submitted to Land Degradation & Development
10 Mar 2022Submission Checks Completed
10 Mar 2022Assigned to Editor
13 Mar 2022Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
17 Mar 20221st Revision Received
17 Mar 2022Submission Checks Completed
17 Mar 2022Assigned to Editor
20 Mar 2022Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
20 Mar 2022Editorial Decision: Revise Minor
23 Mar 20222nd Revision Received
24 Mar 2022Submission Checks Completed
24 Mar 2022Assigned to Editor
25 Mar 2022Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
27 Mar 2022Editorial Decision: Revise Minor
29 Mar 20223rd Revision Received
29 Mar 2022Submission Checks Completed
29 Mar 2022Assigned to Editor
02 Apr 2022Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
02 Apr 2022Editorial Decision: Revise Minor
05 Apr 20224th Revision Received
05 Apr 2022Submission Checks Completed
05 Apr 2022Assigned to Editor
10 Apr 2022Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
10 Apr 2022Editorial Decision: Accept