ABSTRACT
The pedosphere has a significant influence on the gaseous composition of the atmosphere. Soil organic C (SOC) and inorganic C (SIC) are the two major pools in the pedosphere. The total amount of global SOC has been estimated at 1500 Pg, which is three times more than the biotic pool (living plants), and two times more than the atmospheric pool. Estimation on the total amount of SIC varies between 700-1700 Pg. This is at least partly due to the difficulty of separation between pedogenic and lithogenic carbonates (Lal et al., 1998). The lack of reliable information about the size and dynamics of the SIC pool is emphasized in the recent literature.
