2017

GGLOBALLOBAL SSOILOIL OORGANICRGANIC CCARBONARBON 1.0 MapMapVERSION organic (SOC) is the represent the largest terrestrial carbon that remains in the soil after organic carbon reservoir. Depending on partial of any material local geology, climatic conditions and produced by living organisms. It land use and management (amongst constitutes a key element of the global other environmental factors), soils hold carbon cycle through atmosphere, different amounts of SOC. The largest , soil, rivers and the ocean. amounts of SOC have been estimated to be stored in the northern permafrost region with around 190 Pg C in the first 30 cm of the soil (0-30cm)1, mostly in soils. There, carbon accumulates in ATMOSPHERIC CO soils in huge quantities due to the low 2 temperatures leading to low biological PHOTOSYNTHESIS

EMISSIONS activity and slow SOM decomposition. The corresponding is called Histosol and is characterized by a SOC SOIL 2 RESPIRATION content of 12 to 18% . In contrast, in dry CO2 + CH4 and hot regions such as the Sahara

Desert, growth is naturally scarce

N

N and only very little carbon enters the

O

O

I I

T

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A A Z soil. Arenosols, the typical soils of these Z II LL AA EXPORT VIA RR EXPORT VIA 3 EE EROSIONEROSION IINN areas, have mostly less than 0.6% SOC . R M T TTEE R C M AAT O RRGGAANNII C Black soils, such as , are SOC inherently fertile because of their relatively high SOC content (over 1%2) EXPORTEXPORT TOTO RIVERSRIVERS ANDAND OCEANSOCEANS ASAS DOCDOC OCEAN and optimal plant growth conditions in terms of nutrient exchange capacity and a well-developed structure enabling FIG. 1: SOC IN THE GLOBAL CARBON CYCLE sufficient water provision. SOC is the main component of soil Unsustainable management practices (SOM) and as such constitutes the fuel of any soil. SOM suchRole oasf SOC excessive in the biosphe irrigationre or leaving CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTendangerAL FUNCTIONS these soils supports key as it is critical the soil bare , for the stabilization of , causing SOC loss and massive erosion. retention and release of plant

SOIL AERATION nutrients, and allowing water STRUCTURE infiltration and storage in WATER soil. It is therefore essential SOC RETENTION PRODUCTIVITY to ensuring , fertility and food production. The loss of POLLUTANT FILTER SOC indicates a certain BIODIVERSITY SOIL NUTRIENT STABILITY degree of soil degradation. CYCLING

FIG. 2: ROLE OF SOC IN THE BIOSPHERE Soil organic carbon (SOC) is the Soils represent the largest terrestrial The Global Soil Organic Carbon Map carbon that remains in the soil after organic carbon reservoir. Depending on (GSOCmap), a country driven partial decomposition of any material local geology, climatic conditions and endeavour, allows the estimation of produced by living organisms. It land use and management (amongst SOC stock from 0 to 30 cm. It constitutes a key element of the global other environmental factors), soils hold represents a key contribution to SDG carbon cycle through atmosphere, different amounts of SOC. The largest indicator 15.3.1 which defines the area vegetation, soil, rivers and the ocean. amounts of SOC have been estimated to of degraded land. The GSOCmap be stored in the northern permafrost represents the first ever global soil region with around 190 Pg C in the first organic carbon assessment produced 30 cm of the soil (0-30cm)1, mostly in through a participatory approach in peat soils. There, carbon accumulates in Nachtergaele © FAO/Freddy which countries developed their soils in huge quantities due to the low FIG. 3: ARENOSOL capacities and stepped up efforts to temperatures leading to low biological Caring for these soils and preserving the compile all the available soil activity and slow SOM decomposition. SOC they contain can be achieved information at national level. The corresponding soil type is called through sustainable soil management, Histosol and is characterized by a SOC including mulching, planting cover In many cases, this is paving the way to 2 content of 12 to 18% . In contrast, in dry crops, judicious fertilization and establishing national soil information and hot regions such as the Sahara moderate irrigation. systems and represents the first step Desert, plant growth is naturally scarce toward introducing a soil monitoring and only very little carbon enters the Loss of SOC negatively affects not only program. soil. Arenosols, the typical soils of these soil health and food production, but also 3 areas, have mostly less than 0.6% SOC . exacerbates climate change. When Black soils, such as Chernozems, are SOM is decomposed, carbon-based inherently fertile because of their greenhouse gases are emitted to the 2 relatively high SOC content (over 1% ) atmosphere. If this occurs at too high and optimal plant growth conditions in rates, soils can contribute to warming terms of nutrient exchange capacity and our planet. On the flip side, many soils a well-developed structure enabling FIG. 1: SOC IN THE GLOBAL CARBON CYCLE have the potential to increase their sufficient water provision. SOC stocks, thus mitigating climate Kunchulia © FAO/Ilia SOC is the main component of soil change by reducing the atmospheric Unsustainable management practices FIG. 4: organic matter (SOM) and as such CO2 concentration. constitutes the fuel of any soil. SOM such as excessive irrigation or leaving the soil bare endanger these soils, The GSOCmap provides users supports key soil functions as it is critical with very useful information to causing SOC loss and massive erosion. for the stabilization of soil structure, photosynthesis monitor the soil condition, identify retention and release of plant degraded areas, set restoration nutrients, and allowing water targets, explore SOC sequestration potentials, support the greenhouse infiltration and storage in gas emission reporting under the soil. It is therefore essential UNFCCC and make evidence to ensuring soil health, based decisions to mitigate and fertility and food carbon sequestration adapt to a changing climate. production. The loss of FIG. 5: THE WORLD’S SOILS CAN ACT AS A CARBON SINK SOC indicates a certain degree of soil degradation. 1. Tarnocai et al. 2009. https://doi.org/10.1029/2008GB003327; 2. IUSS Working Group WRB. 2015. http://www.fao.org/3/a-i3794e.pdf; 3. Zech et al. 2014. https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-36575-1 KICK-OFF GSOCmap as a GSOCmap V 1.0 contribution to With more than 1 Million the SDG NATIONAL SOIL DATA sampling points behind the indicator 15.3.1: COMPILATION AND GSOCmap, the proportion of country-driven SOC 2018 land that is HARMONIZATION mapping approach has degraded over Database creation bringing proved to be successful. total land area. together recovered soil legacy data from different institutions, projects and archives; and also

harmonization of lab methods H and units. GLOBAL DATA C N U MAPPING BY HARMONIZATION A L including quality COUNTRIES control, mosaicking, Assessment of different border harmonization methodologies to TECHNICAL and gap filling

predict SOC stock

SPECIFICATIONS distribution and

agreed upon by estimate uncertainty

member countries

during the 2nd CAPACITY S Workshop of the IE R International Network DEVELOPMENT T of Soil Information N Over 150 experts from U WHAT’S NEXT? Institutions (INSII). 110 countries trained O C in digital soil organic H • GSOCmap V2.0 with carbon mapping. IT new and updated W D national SOC maps AN Y • Full establishment of B SOIL K the Global Soil ORGANIC R CARBONSOIL MAPPINGORGANIC O Information System CookbookCARBON W MAPPING 2017 Cookbook based on National Soil Information Systems

• Towards a Global SOC Monitoring System based on the GSOCmap GSOCmap: RK • Feasible Guidelines for WO ORY measuring, mapping, 2016 ARAT A COUNTRY-DRIVEN monitoring and PREP reporting SOC stocks PROCESS to be adapted locally

GLOBAL SOIL ORGANIC CARBON MAP (GSOCmap)

SOC Stocks TONNES PER HECTARE 0 - 2 2 - 5 5 - 10 10 - 15 15 - 20 20 - 25 25 - 40 40 - 50 50 - 75 75 - 100 100 - 120 120 - 150 150 - 175 175 - 200 200+

19.6% STOCKS BY CLIMATE ZONES 12.7% GSOCmap reflects the status of the world soil information Arctic IC CAR AN BO Background image source: ESRI, USGS, NOAA G N Recommended citation: Boreal R S 8.3% O T FAO and ITPS 2017. Global Soil Organic Carbon Map - GSOCmap. O L Version 1.0, Rome, FAO Temperate I RUSSIA133* 150 C 6.9% Contact: [email protected] O (tonnes per hectare) K SOIL TYPES S

Subtropics 120

L CANADA86* 5.4%

Tropics Arenosols, and A 0-30 CM: 90

B USA With the financial support of O

L 3.4%

Acrisols and 60 ~680 PG C 56* G

Chernozems, and 30 CHINA46* 3.4%

0 250 Histosols 1.9% BRAZIL36* Ministry of Economic Affairs of the LAND COVER (petagrams) Netherlands 200 23* 1.8% Forests 150 10 COUNTRIES INDONESIA Savannas and shrublands 23* 1.4% 100 HOLD MORE THAN 60% AUSTRALIA Croplands and grasslands 50 OF THE TOTAL SOC STOCK 13* ARGENTINA Mosaic of natural vegetation, 0 12* croplands and grasslands * Petagrams = 1 Billion Tonnes Barren or sparsely vegetated lands KAZAKHSTAN 10* Permanent wetlands OF CONGO DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC I8195EN/1/11.17