Soil organic carbon in an abandoned rubber plantation in Mt. Makiling, Laguna, Philippines

Abstract

Vegetation cover change may positively and negatively affect soil carbon sequestration and storage. It can drive changes in soil organic carbon, which is critical in managing soil health and productivity and mitigating global warming. Any plantation activity that could affect tree crop population and their ability to contribute litter to the soil would result in soil organic carbon stock instability, affecting soil organic matter content. Data on soil organic carbon (SOC) fluctuations during the early stage of rubber plantation establishment is scarce, hence the conduct of this study. This study collected the SOC content of an abandoned rubber plantation as a benchmark for future initiatives and site development. Soil samples were taken from 0–20 cm, representing the topsoil, and 21–50 cm, representing the subsoil, and analyzed for SOC content using wet combustion, Walkley-Black Method. The result gathered an estimated total amount of 71.12 tC ha–1 from topsoil and subsoil. This study recommends conducting a complete carbon stock assessment and regular monitoring of soil organic carbon every time silvicultural treatments are done to better understand the soil organic carbon dynamics in rubber plantations.