Danijela Jungić

Soil Organic Carbon Content in the Topsoils of Agricultural Regions in Croatia

Here we present soil organic carbon (SOC) content in the soils of agricultural regions and subregions of Croatia, and how these are affected by climate, geomorphology, soil conditions, and land use. For research, Northwestern (NP) and the Eastern Pannonian (EP), Mountain (M), then North (NA) with South Adriatic (SA) subregions was selected. Data for the SOC content was collected during the mapping of Croatia at a scale 1:50.000. Decreasing trend in rainfall M > NP > NA > SA > EP, and air temperatures SA > NA > EP > NP > M is defined. The NP and EP subregion have a lowland relief and flat to almost flat terrain, whereas NA is lowland and hilly-mountainous relief, M is mountainous and SA hilly and mountainous relief. In the NP and EP subregions, dominating parent material is loess and alluvial deposits, at NA limestones, dolomites and marl, and at M and SA limestones and dolomites. Average SOC content in the studied agricultural subregions varies from 1 to 2 % in arable soils and 2 to 4 % in soils under grassland or forest. SOC was the highest in forest soils in Mountainouus region because wet and cold climate and the lowest in arable soils of Northern subregion of Adriatic region because higher mineralization.