Soil Organic Carbon Stocks Across Land Cover Types in Segara Anakan, Central Java

Land cover change significantly affects soil organic carbon (SOC) storage, which is crucial for climate change mitigation. This study quantifies SOC stocks across five land cover types: mangrove forests, shrubs, settlements, plantations, and rice fields in the Segara Anakan Lagoon, Central Java, Indonesia. Soil cores were collected at three depth intervals (0–30 cm, 30–60 cm, and 60–90 cm) and analyzed for bulk density, organic carbon content, and carbon stocks using the loss on ignition (LOI) method. Principal component analysis (PCA) was employed to evaluate variations in soil characteristics across different land cover types. Mangrove forests exhibited the highest SOC stocks, with a peak value of 152.04 Mg C ha⁻¹ at the 30–60 cm depth. Shrublands and settlement areas showed moderate SOC stocks (115–125 Mg C ha⁻¹), whereas plantations and rice fields recorded the lowest values (<90 Mg C ha⁻¹). Bulk density was highest in rice fields and plantations, indicating soil compaction, and lowest in mangrove soils due to high porosity. PCA results revealed clear separation between mangrove soils and agricultural or plantation soils, with the first principal component explaining 79.1% of the total variance. These findings underscore the significance of mangroves in storing blue carbon and promoting sustainable coastal land management.