Almacenamiento de carbono en el suelo bajo tres tipos de cobertura vegetal en los páramos andinos en la Cuenca del Río Paute

Information on carbon stocks between land use types is limited in Ecuador, it is related with soil organic matter and soil texture. These relationships deserve to be evaluated in order to develop a better management and conservation of the paramo ecosystem. This research was developed in three land uses were we estimated the carbon stored in the biomass above and below ground (Depths: 0 to 10 and 10 to 30 cm). 102 monitoring sites were installed distributed between land use types (30 pine plantations, 36 disturbed paramo and 36 undisturbed paramo) and at three elevation ranges 1) P1: 2800 - 3200 m. a. s. l., 2) P2: 3200 – 3500 m. a. s. l. 3) P3: > 3500. In the sampling sites aboveground biomass were calculated. Soil samples were taken to determine the organic carbon at two depths and the method of ignition was used. The results indicated that the higher levels of soil organic carbon are in the soil at higher altitudes. Larger amounts of organic carbon were found in paramo and forest plantations. This is attributed to bulk density and also changes in soil texture. It was concluded that the soil organic carbon associated with taxonomic variables and agricultural activities. KEYWORDS: PÁRAMO, IGNITION STOCKS, AND ORGANIC MATTER