Genesis and occurrence of carbonates in soils

Abstract

Soil inorganic carbon or SIC (mainly as CaCO₃) is an important global C pool with an estimated maximum accumulation of 2.3 x 10₁₅ kg C, being the dominant C species in 54% of soils worldwide. Arid and semi-arid regions, which comprise more than 35% of the earth’s surface and contain most of the carbonate in soils, play a key role in the global C cycle. In this study, we cover the dynamics of accumulation of pedogenic carbonates in soils, the morphologies associated with them and the soil formation factors linked to their genesis.