Unraveling the Impact of Diverse Vegetative Covers on Soil Carbon Fractions

Evaluating SOC lability is crucial for sustainable agriculture policies and environmental quality. This study assessed the impact of well-stocked forest cover on SOC pools and lability compared to shrubby soil. Geo-referenced soils under Red pine (Pinus brutia), Black pine (Pinus nigra), Cedar (Cedrus libani), Fir (Abies cilicia), Juniper (Juniperus excelsa), Oak (Quercus L.), Carob (Ceratonia siliqua), and degraded shrubs were collected from a depth of 0 to 30 cm in the Seyhan River Basin, Mediterranean Turkey. The analysis of soil organic carbon (SOC), soil AC (active carbon), and PC (passive carbon) were analyzed to understand soil carbon management across diverse vegetation types. Juniper forests have the highest SOC (27.98 g/kg) and PC (27.35 g/kg), followed by Cedar (SOC: 27.64 g/kg, PC: 27.05 g/kg) and Fir (SOC: 26.44 g/kg, PC: 25.85 g/kg). Shrubby areas have the lowest SOC (4.06 g/kg) and PC (3.61 g/kg). The Oak soil had the highest CLI (1.16), suggesting a relatively higher proportion of labile carbon than other forests. CPI indicates forests have a greater carbon storage capacity (1.09) compared to shrublands (0.18), with forests also having a higher CMI (0.83). The findings emphasize the critical role of forests, especially Juniper forests, in carbon sequestration and climate change mitigation within the Seyhan River Basin in Turkey.