Original scientific paper

Estimation of soil organic carbon stocks and stock changes in Croatia (1980–2006) – use of national soil database and the Corine Land Cover

IVAN PILAŠ ; Division of Ecology, Croatian Forest Research Institute, Cvjetno naselje 41, 10450, Jastrebarsko, Croatia
VLADIMIR KUŠAN ; Department for Resource Management, Oikon - Institute for Applied Technology, Trg senjskih uskoka 1-2, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia
IVAN MEDVED ; Department of Geoinformation Science, Faculty of Geodesy, Zagreb
JASNICA MEDAK ; Division of Ecology, Croatian Forest Research Institute, Cvjetno naselje 41, 10450, Jastrebarsko, Croatia
NIKOLINA BAKŠIĆ ; Division of Ecology, Croatian Forest Research Institute, Cvjetno naselje 41, 10450, Jastrebarsko, Croatia
HRVOJE MARJANOVIĆ ; Division for Forest Management and Forest Economics, Croatian Forest Research Institute, Cvjetno naselje 41, 10450 Jastrebarsko, Croatia

Abstract

Background and Purpose: In this study, estimation of soil organic
carbon (SOC) stocks for the LULUCF categories is provided together with assessment of spatial and temporal trend of soil carbon density (SCD) for the 1980–2006 period in Croatia.

Materials andMethods: Calculations of soil carbon stockswas based on
data of soil organic carbon from the national (pedon) database of Croatian soils that consisted of 2351 soil profiles and Corine Land Cover inventories in 1980, 1990, 2000 and 2006.

Results and Conclusions: The total estimated soil organic carbon stock
in Croatia for all CLC categories relevant for the LULUCF sector (93% of the total country area in 2006) is 618,77Mt. Forests and areas with natural vegetation with 348,11 Mt contribute most of all categories, of which managed forests (broad-leaved, coniferous and mixed) contain 241,93 Mt and other natural vegetation classes 106,18Mt. Estimated soil carbon stock in agricultural land is 270,46 Mt, of which 166,99 Mt contain classes of intensive agriculture (arable land, permanent crops and complex cultivation patterns). Total change in SC stock between 1980 and 2006 equals +1,91 Mt and is mostly due to changes in agricultural practices in rural areas (abandonment of intensive grazing and conversion of pastures into natural grasslands). Changes in the forestry sector during the considered period were less noticeable but
were also present, particularly for broad-leaved forest class
(–2,73 Mt C). Trends of SC stock changes in LULUCF categories represent good indices of demographic and socio-economic processes in Croatia where three distinctive momentswere evident: (I) decrease of SC stock in the 1980–1990 period mostly due to urban sprawl; (II) increase of SC stock in the 1900–2000 period due to the decline of agricultural activities in rural areas during and after war period; (III)
decline of SC after 2000 due to more intensive urbanization
and infrastructural development.

Keywords

Hrčak ID:

110663

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/110663

Publication date:

30.9.2013.

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