Global black soil distribution.

Black soils, characterized by their thick, dark horizons enriched with organic matter, epitomize highly fertile soils. However, their fertility precipitates intense land use, engendering challenges such as soil erosion, nutrient depletion, pollution, compaction, salinization, and acidification. Notably, these soils are significant contributors to global greenhouse gas emissions, primarily due to substantial losses in soil organic carbon. Despite these challenges, black soils are pivotal for global food production. This paper delineates the implementation of digital soil mapping for the global cartography of black soils and human interference on these soils. Predominantly distributed in Eastern Europe, Central and Eastern Asia, and North and South America, black soils cover an approximate area of 725 Mha, with the Russian Federation, Kazakhstan, and China collectively have over half of this area. Agriculturally, these soils underpin significant proportions of global crop yields, producing 66% of sunflower, 30% of wheat, and 26% of potato outputs. The organic carbon content in the upper 30 cm of these soils is estimated at 56 Gt. Sustainable management of black soils is imperative for ensuring food security and addressing climate change on a global scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]