Radiocarbon-based estimates of residence times for soil organic carbon of Tundra and Boreal forests in Alaska

High-latitude soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks are of particular interest because warming is expected to be greatest and induce acceleration of SOC decomposition at high latitudes, raising questions about the fate of SOC. However, merely knowing the size of the reservoir of carbon stored soils in sufficient for predicting its potential to influence atmospheric CO2 concentrations. We must also know something about soil carbon dynamics in high-latitudes. Soil and soil CO2 in Tundra and Boreal forests were collected along the pipeline from Fairbanks and Prodoe Bay in Alaska. According to radocarbon data, the thickness of the recent detritus accumulated after 1960s’ were from 10cm to 14cm in boreal forests and from 8 cm to 13cm in Tundra ecosystem. Bomb radiocarbon contents and TOC down profiles suggested that boreal forests had large amount of SOC above permafrost and high accumulation rates which corresponded to 6.6 - 8.2 kg/m2 for past 60 years. We also discuss origin of soil respired CO2 based on radiocarbon in this conference.