Carbonate Accumulation in the Mojave Desert

Soil is one of the largest global carbon sinks, second only to the ocean. The global stock of SOC is estimated to be 1,500-1,600 Pg at a 1-m depth and 2,376-2,456 Pg at a 2-m depth (Raza et al., 2024), while SIC is typically found at depths below 1m in the soil. The SIC stock ranges from 695-1738 Pg at 1m and 2255 Pg down to 2m. Soil inorganic carbon is an extremely understudied area of soil science, comprising only about 4% of global soil carbon research. This research seeks to better quantify and understand an understudied pool in the global carbon cycle: soil inorganic carbon in desert soils. Using direct measurements of inorganic carbon from a soil in the Granite Mountains, Mojave National Preserve, coupled with a column leaching experiment, I will quantify and assess unusual patterns of carbonate accumulation in desert soils where inorganic carbon storage is typically lower.