Southern Ecuadorian ecosystems, and your natural soil carbon stores for a sustainable future

Soil is the primary carbon reservoir, storing approximately three times more carbon than vegetation and the atmosphere combined. However, in southern Ecuador, information on soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks remains very limited. In this study, changes in SOC stocks were evaluated across five predominant ecosystems in the province of Loja: Dry Forest, Dry Shrubland, High Andean Forest, Andean Scrubland, and Páramo. Data on SOC (Mg/ha), bulk density (g/cm3), precipitation (mm), temperature (°C), pH, and altitude were analyzed, corresponding to 536 soil samples collected at a uniform depth of 0–10 cm. The results indicate higher SOC stocks in the Páramo (140 Mg/ha), while the Dry Forest exhibited the lowest SOC concentrations (17.3 Mg/ha). The analysis reveals that factors such as altitude, temperature, and precipitation directly influence SOC storage. This study provides valuable information for developing management and conservation strategies for these ecosystems in the context of climate and land use change. It also contributes to strengthening the baseline knowledge of SOC stocks in southern Ecuador.