Soil organic carbon sequestration of cold desert Ladakh Acharya Somen*, Charan Guru, Singh Narendra, Srivastava R. B. Defence Institute of High Altitude Research, DRDO, C/o 56 APO, Leh-Ladakh, 194101, India *Corresponding author E-mail: someniari@gmail.com
Online published on 21 July, 2012. Abstract The present study aims to estimate the soil organic carbon (SOC) storage of croplands as well as grasslands in Indus and Nubra valley, cold desert of Ladakh region. The study reveals that difference between the two valleys in size and vegetation cover resulted in considerable differences in SOC storage capacity. Total SOC storage in the agricultural lands in Indus and Nubra valley was found 37.95 t ha−1 and 43.94 t ha−1 respectively (0–30 cm soil depth) under the current cultivation systems. SOC storage of grasslands of Indus and Nubra valley has been estimated to be about 40.23 t ha−1 and 46.9 t ha−1 respectively. Overall SOC pool in this cold desert was found in higher range. Top Keywords Altitudinal variation, Carbon sequestration, Climate change, Cold desert, Environment, Ladakh, Soil organic carbon. Top |