Carbon accumulation in Icelandic desert Andosols during early stages of restoration

Arnalds, Olafur, Orradottir, Berglind and Aradottir, Asa L., (2013). Carbon accumulation in Icelandic desert Andosols during early stages of restoration. Geoderma, 193 172-179

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  • Sub-type Journal article
    Author Arnalds, Olafur
    Orradottir, Berglind
    Aradottir, Asa L.
    Title Carbon accumulation in Icelandic desert Andosols during early stages of restoration
    Appearing in Geoderma
    Volume 193
    Publication Date 2013
    Place of Publication Amsterdam
    Publisher Elsevier
    Start page 172
    End page 179
    Language eng
    Abstract Carbon accumulation in soils is an important method to offset the release of carbon based GHG into the atmosphere. We investigated carbon accumulation during early stages of ecological restoration of a desertified area in Iceland. The study site, a part of a larger experimental area, consisted of 24 1 ha experimental plots with nine different restoration treatments and untreated control, all replicated 2–3times. The barren desert soils were sandy with unstable surface conditions subjected to intense cryoturbation and wind erosion. Initial carbon stocks in soils of eroded, untreated areas were 0.1–0.3 kg m− 2, largely consisting of inert metal–humus and/or clay–humus complex characteristic of Andosols. Carbon content in the 5 cm surface layer increased from < 0.3% up to > 0.7% in some treated plots. Annual carbon accumulation of 0.04–0.063 kg C m− 2 yr− 1 was observed over the first seven years after initiation of restoration efforts, highest in treatments seeded with grasses and fertilized but no accumulation was observed in untreated controls. Carbon accumulation rate of > 0.05 kg C m− 2 yr− 1 can potentially be maintained over > 100 yr due to the nature of Andosols and a steady burial by an influx of eolian materials. There are large areas of desertified surfaces in Iceland (thousands of km2), many of which are undergoing restoration treatments. Restoration efforts in Iceland can play a significant role in sequestering carbon in ecosystems to balance national greenhouse gas emissions as well as restoring biodiversity and important ecosystem services.
    Keyword Carbon
    Carbon sequestration
    Andosols
    Revegetation
    Iceland
    Allophane
    Copyright Holder Elsevier
    Copyright Year 2013
    Copyright type All rights reserved
    DOI 10.1016/j.geoderma.2012.10.018
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    Created: Tue, 09 Jan 2018, 02:53:11 JST by Malfridur Omarsdottir on behalf of UNU Iceland