Organic carbon stock in some forest soils in Serbia

The content of organic carbon (C) was researched in topsoil layers (0-20 cm) in the most represented soils of forest ecosystems in central Serbia: eutric ranker, eutric cambisol and dystric cambisol. The soils were sampled during 2003, 2004 and 2010. Laboratory analyses included the soil physical and chemical properties necessary for the quantification of the soil organic carbon in organic and mineral layers. Mean values of the soil organic carbon (SOC) stores in organic horizons of the study soils varied between: 1.01±0.4 kg(C).m-2 (dystric cambisol), 0.90±0.41 kg(C).m-2 (eutric ranker) and 0.94±0.36 kg(C).m-2 (eutric cambisol). Average values of organic carbon in mineral layers (0-20 cm) ranged between: 3.83±1.70 kg(C).m-2 (dystric cambisol), 6.26±3.41 kg(C).m-2 (eutric ranker) and 4.36±1.91 kg(C).m-2 (eutric cambisol). The average value of total organic carbon stock in the study soils (both organic and mineral layers) was 5.77 kg(C).m-2. This paper addresses the methodological aspects of regional estimation of soil organic carbon content as the potential to be applied in the National Forest Inventory Program.