ABSTRACT
This chapter provides estimates of existing soil carbon stocks and document the projected climate change impacts on soil carbon stocks in India. Soil carbon is the integral component of soil organic matter and vital from the perspective of soils and climate change interactions. Soils are directly related to the atmospheric and climate systems via nitrogen, carbon, and hydrologic cycles. Therefore, any changes in atmosphere and climate may influence soils by altering the functioning of such cycles specifically that of carbon. The estimations of soil inorganic carbon stocks are poorly documented compared to those of soil organic carbon (SOC) at a national or global scale. In India also, the primary focus has been on estimating the average SOC and mean density of carbon to various depths. SOC stock in India is vulnerable as the mean annual temperature and precipitation are projected to change due to the increased concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
