UC Riverside

Landscape heterogeneity affects the distribution of soil organic carbon and stable aggregates within the landscape. The effect of landscape heterogeneity and climate on soil organic carbon storage and aggregate stability was investigated on soils along a climatological gradient in an arid, high elevation mountain range of the White Mountains, California. Landscape heterogeneity had significant effects on SOC storage and aggregate stability, as significant differences (p<0.05) in SOC storage and aggegate stability were observed between shrub and interspace microsites. Climate also had a significant effect on SOC storage, as storage was observed to decline with elevation until approximately 3800 m where it significantly increased.