Carbon stocks in soils and above-ground biomass in Patagonian native forest of the Aysen region, Chile

Abstract

Country-specific soil carbon estimates improve the greenhouse gas inventories. In Chile, especially in Patagonia, information on soil carbon stocks in natural forest ecosystems is scarce. This study estimated soil organic carbon stocks and aboveground biomass of 72 natural forests in the Aysen region as a function of forest and soil type, based on data from INFOR. The organic carbon stocks in mineral soils (0-30 cm) averaged 93,6 t ha^-1 ± 34,1 t ha^-1 and was independent of the soil type, however it was influenced by forest type, with the average being lower for the lenga forest type and higher in the siempreverde forest type; for coihue de Magallanes the average did not differ from the other two forest types. For the aboveground biomass, the carbon stock averaged 119,2 t ha^-1 ± 61,8 t ha^-1 without significant effects from soil and forest types. 55 % of the stands showed more carbon in the aboveground biomass than in the soil. The carbon stocks in the soil and aboveground biomass varied independently. The sampling carried out so far is limited, but its results stand out as a progress for soil carbon and aboveground biomass information of Aysen native forests. Sampling expansion with a better definition of soil taxonomy is required.