Profile distribution of soil organic carbon fractions under different landforms in the Meghalaya plateau of India

Abstract

Assessment of organic carbon fractions in soil provides the basis to ascertain vulnerability of an ecosystem to climate change. In the present study, we assessed SOC fractions in four pedons under contrasting landforms i.e., denudational low hill, upper plateau, lower plateau and valley in the Meghalaya plateau, India. Results indicated that soils of the studied pedons were acidic in nature, low in cation exchange capacity and base saturation. Further, surface (0-30 cm) soils were high in Walkley Black C (WBC) content (0.83-1.13%) in the studied pedons located under different landforms. The density of very labile carbon (VLC) fraction up to a depth of 150 cm was highest (49.22 Mg ha‒1) in pedon 2 (P2) located in the upper plateau under shifting cultivation while that of less labile carbon (LLC) was highest (50.25 Mg ha‒1) in pedon 4 (P4) in the valley under paddy cultivation. Higher densities of WBC and LLC in the valley (P4) as compared to other landforms in the study area indicate higher carbon sequestration potential of valley soil.