Organic carbon stock map for soils of southern India: A multifactorial approach

Data acquired during soil resource inventory of central Western Ghats, India, were supplemented with other available environmental data to estimate/map soil organic carbon (SOC) stock at the regional level. For an area (about 88,000 sq. km) stretching between Goa and the Palghat Gap, a model was developed linking SOC stock to the different environmental parameters known to control SOC levels, particularly type of land cover. Forests of different status, presenting varying stages of degradation, still occupy 43,000 sq. km in this area. This can explain the higher SOC stock (0.44 Pg) estimated compared to figures published earlier.