Misestimation of forest soil carbon and nitrogen stocks due to rock fragments: A case study in a boreal forest watershed ecosystem of northeast China

Abstract

Rock fragments occur commonly in the pedosphere, but the total soil carbon stocks (STC) and total soil nitrogen stocks (STN) they comprise are generally overlooked in soil studies. To accurately eva-luate the impact of erroneous calculation of STC and STN in rock fragments in soil research, we calculated errors in STC and STN by assuming the content of C and N in rock fragments are the same as those in fine soil or assuming them to be zero in a boreal forest watershed ecosystem of northeast China. Generally, the overestimation of STC and STN is 34% and 48% in the surface soil layer of 0−40 cm, respectively, assuming the same values for rock fragments as for fine soil. The underestimation of STC and STN is 16% and 12%, respectively, assuming the values to be zero. We also found that these errors may cause misinterpretations of the effects of slope position and forest type on surface soil STC and STN. Our results highlight the importance of including rock fragments in the material cycle of the pedosphere.

Graphical abstract

Keywords

rock fragments / C stocks / N stocks / misestimation

Highlight

	● Treating rock fragments as soil overestimates soil C and N stocks by 34% and 48%.
	● Ignoring rock fragments underestimates soil C and N stocks by 16% and 12%.
	● Rock fragments cause misinterpretations of factors influencing soil C and N stocks.

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