Процена резерви органске материје у земљиштима Србије / Estimation of soil organic matter in the soils of Serbia

The aim of this study was to quantify current SOC stocks and present the spatial distribution of organic carbon (SOC) in the soils of Republic of Serbia. The relation of SOC content to soil type, temperature, precipitation, altitude, land use and topography was investigated. Organic carbon stocks were estimated for soil layers 0-30 cm and 0- 100 cm based on the results from a database and using soil and land use maps. To establish the relationship between organic carbon content and soil type, a soil map of Serbia was adapted to the WRB classification and divided into 15,437 polygons (map units). The methodology for SOC stocks estimation was based on bulk density, organic carbon content and thickness of the analyzed soil layers. We calculated the values for each reference soil group based on mean values of SOC at 0-30 and 0-100 cm in the main reference groups and their areas. Based on the size of the reference groups, total area of Republic of Serbia, and the SOC values for each reference group, we calculated the total SOC stocks. The obtained values for the soil layers 0-30 cm and 0-100 cm amounted to 0,71 Pg and 1,16 Pg respectively. Using Corine Land Cover (CLC) database for 2006, we defined areas of the major categories of land use. Based on the obtained mean values of organic carbon content at 0-30 and 0-100 cm and the areas indicated by Corine Land Cover categories of land use, we calculated the organic carbon stocks in agricultural land, forest land, semi-natural areas, and artificial areas. The results showed that the organic carbon stocks in the category of agricultural land were 303.22 x 1012 g (Tg) and 600.25 x 1012 g (Tg) at 0-30 cm and 0-100 cm, respectively. In the category of forests and semi-natural areas, the organic carbon stocks were 345.26 x 1012 g (Tg) and 457.55 x 1012 g (Tg) at 0-30 cm and 0-100 cm, respectively. In the category of artificial areas, which mainly included sites within urban green areas and recreational areas, the organic carbon stocks were 19.21 x 1012 g (Tg) and 41.50 x 1012 g (Tg) at 0-30 cm and 0-100 cm, respectively. The map of organic carbon distribution depending on land use method indicated that organic carbon stocks were higher in forests and semi-natural areas than in agricultural land, up to 40.71% and 11.43% at 0-30 cm and 0-100 cm, respectively. SOC loss amount to 0,92 Mt С at 0-30 cm layer and 1,49 Mt С at 0-100 cm layer in the period 1990-2006 as a results of conversion from agricultural land, forestland and seminatural areas to artificial areas. For soil layers 0-30 and 0-100 cm, a medium to strong statistical relationship between temperature, precipitation and altitude and amount of organic carbon in soil is indicated. The soil organic carbon density was significantly affected by altitude. SOC content increased with increasing altitude. The highest mean values of organic carbon content were found in the mountainous areas within the elevation of 1000-2000 m, which covers 11,5 % of the territory of the Republic of Serbia.