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ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Spatial Heterogeneity and Determinants
of Soil Organic Carbon Density Across Varied
Karst Landscapes in Southwest China
1
Guizhou Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550005, China
2
College of Resources and Environment Engineering, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
3
Institute for Forest Resources and Environment of Guizhou, Key Laboratory of Forest Cultivation in Plateau Mountain
Areas, College of Forestry, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
4
Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory for Environment, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang 550025, China
Submission date: 2024-03-03
Final revision date: 2024-06-21
Acceptance date: 2024-07-09
Online publication date: 2024-11-06
Publication date: 2025-07-05
Corresponding author
Xianfei Huang
Institute for Forest Resources and Environment of Guizhou, Key Laboratory of Forest Cultivation in Plateau Mountain Areas, College of Forestry, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
Institute for Forest Resources and Environment of Guizhou, Key Laboratory of Forest Cultivation in Plateau Mountain Areas, College of Forestry, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2025;34(5):5135-5145
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
This study examined the influence of environmental factors on soil organic carbon density (SOCD)
in five regions of southwest China, including karst canyon, karst peak cluster depression, karst plateau,
karst trough valley, and non-karst areas. Significant differences in SOCD were found across these
landscapes. The study quantitatively analyzed the vertical distribution and key drivers of SOCD in these
landscapes. Specifically, soil organic carbon density value in soil thickness of 0 to 0.40 m is: karst
trough valley>karst peak cluster depression>karst plateau>karst canyon>non-karst regions; soil organic
carbon density value in soil thickness of 0.40 to 1.00 m is: karst plateau>karst trough valley>karst peak
cluster depression>karst canyon>on-karst regions. Soil organic carbon density in non-karst regions is
markedly positively related to slope gradient, slope aspect, and slope position and negatively correlated
with land use and soil thickness. The study also found that the main factors influencing SOCD differ
by region. SOCD was influenced by soil thickness in karst canyons, karst peak cluster depressions, and
karst plateaus. SOCD was influenced by slope aspects in karst trough valleys.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.
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