SOIL ORGANIC CARBON POOLS IN URBANIZING HILLY STATE OF INDIADiksha Rana, S.K. Bhardwaj and GouravAbstract Urbanization results in the dramatic change in the land use, which impacts soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks in topsoil. The dynamic changes in soil organic carbon pools have significant implications on regional and global carbon balances. The aim of this study was to examine the impact of urbanization on SOC stocks in an urbanized area of Kangra district with varying degree of urbanization under north western Himalayas, India. Soil samples of both urbanized and control areas were collected from three sites namely Dharamshala, Palampur and Baijnath-Paprola. Impact of urbanization on soil organic carbon storage was evaluated and soil carbon stock was found to be varied significantly among different urban areas. The highest soil carbon stock (26.48 Mg C ha-1) was recorded in Municipal Corporation which was significantly higher than Municipal Council (23.84 Mg C ha-1) and Nagar Panchayat (22.24 Mg C ha-1). All the urban sites accumulated more SOC than countryside areas which has challenged the assumption of degrading ecosystem services by urban areas. Henceforth, it is suggested that in order to support enhanced carbon sequestration in soil mapping and periodic estimation of soil organic carbon stocks in urban as well as in countryside areas are crucial. |