Dual effects of carbon in Red Ferralitic soils in the San José de Las Lajas Polje, Cuba

Abstract Karst systems perform an important function in the global carbon cycle. Carbonate rocks contain the largest reservoir of C in the world and represent 12 to 18% of the total terrestrial surface free of water. This is relevant in the karst regions of western Cuba, where Red Ferralitic soils are distributed in the zones of the strongest agricultural production and population density, and the most important water supply basins. The objective was to examine the effect of carbon sequestration on terrain modeling in the stabilized karst regions that coincide with CO2 sinks, which is beneficial for the soil cover since it encourages the increase of soil organic carbon, and for the agroecosystem in general since it mitigates the effects of climate change. But it is harmful to karstic morphogenesis, because it was estimated that the average dissolution of CaCO3 is 0.15 mmol∙L-1∙yr−1, which represents a sequential evolution of the relief of −0.04 m∙yr−1. The progress of this process in the next 120 years would diminish the agricultural potential by over 44%. These results must be interpreted as the basis for the design of agro-environmental strategies and policies in the karst regions of Cuba, insufficiently studied from this perspective to date.