Organische Kohlenstoffvorräte von Bodentypen in den Hauptnaturräumen Schleswig-Holsteins (Norddeutschland)

The improvement of carbon sequestration in soils for a more sustainable land use management requires knowledge about soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks as well as the interactions between soil type, parent material and land use. In Northern Germany (federal state: Schleswig-Holstein) about 925 soil profiles in the four geological regions (Weichselian glacial region, Lower “Geest”, Higher “Geest” and the marshland) were sampled down to a depth of at least 90 cm. Horizon-specific parameters like bulk density and grain size distribution were analyzed among others during several soil inventory programs by the (State) Agency for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Areas of the German Federal State Schleswig-Holstein (LLUR) as well as their predecessor agencies since 1970. The four geological regions possess different SOC stocks for the soil depths 0–30, 30–60, 60–90 cm. In total, at least 244 Mt SOC is stored down to a depth of 90 cm while the amount differs depending on the land use type, soil type and parent material. In the topsoil (0–30 cm), SOC varied from 60 t/ha (arable soils of Weichselian glacial area and marshland) up to 130 t/ha (grassland soils in the Geest areas). Besides the Histosols, the highest SOC stocks in the subsoil (30–90 cm depth) were attributed to the marshland soils, Anthrosols (“Colluvic”, Weichselian glacial region and Higher “Geest”) and Gleyic Podzols (Lower and Higher “Geest”). Evaluating the potential of SOC storage and loss by land use changes, soil type-specific SOC stocks should be taken into account.