Depth-dependence of soil organic carbon additional storage capacity in different soil types by the 2050 target for carbon neutrality

Abstract. Land planning projects aiming to maximise soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks are increasing in number and scope. In response, a rising number of studies assess SOC additional storage capacities over regional to global spatial scales. In order to provide realistic values transferrable beyond the scientific community, SOC storage capacity assessments should consider the timescales over which this capacity might be reached, considering the effects of C inputs, soil type and depth on soil C dynamics.

This research was conducted in a 320 km² territory in North-eastern France where eight contrasted soil types have been identified, characterized and mapped thanks to a high density of fully-described soil profiles. Continuous profiles of SOC stocks were interpolated for each soil type and land use (cropland, grassland or forest). Depth-dependent estimates of maximum SOC additional storage capacity using the Hassink equation and a data-driven approach were compared. We used a novel method that uses the data-driven approach to constrain C inputs in a simple model of depth-dependent C dynamics to simulate SOC accrual over 25 years, and mapped the SOC stocks, maximum additional storage capacity and stock evolution.

SOC stocks and maximum additional storage capacities are highly heterogenous over the region of study. Median SOC stocks range from 78–333 tC ha^-1. Data-driven maximum SOC additional storage capacities vary from 19 tC ha^-1 in forested Leptosols to 197 tC ha^-1 in grassland Gleysols. Estimations of SOC maximum additional storage capacities based on the Hassink approach led to unrealistic vertical distributions of SOC stock, with particular overestimation in the deeper layers. Crucially, the simulated SOC accrual over 25 years was five times lower than the maximum SOC additional storage capacity (0.57 and 2.5 MgC respectively). Further consideration of depth-dependent SOC dynamics in different soil types is therefore needed to provide targets of SOC storage over timescales relevant to public policies aiming to approach carbon neutrality by 2050.