Diversity of humus stocks in the arable soils of the Late Pleistocene ground morains in Mecklenburg, West Pomerania, Germany

Abstract Local humus stocks (= contents of soil organic matter, SOM in kg · m−2) of arable soils were investigated in several regions of the seemingly uniform ground moraine-landscape. Depending on relief position, quantifiable effects of humus removal or enrichment are evident, caused by denudation or colluviation. The depth (thickness) of the investigated humus-bearing topsoil horizons varies between 15 and 150 cm overall and amounts on average to 67 cm. Extreme values of SOM (resp. Corg) stocks are 2.73 (1.58) and 137.41 (79.70) kg · m−2. The average values of all found SOM (resp. Corg) stocks in the investigated arable soils amount to 10.78 (6.25) kg · m−2. Humus stocks are not only of importance for the agricultural yield potential but also because of their function as a sink for, or a source of, atmospheric CO2, which is of special current interest due to its influence on menacing climate change. The total carbon content of the corresponding column of atmosphere, 1.60 kg · m−2, amounts to only one quarter of the average in our arable soils.

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