Summary
This study provides a comprehensive reassessment of permafrost organic carbon stocks on the Tibetan Plateau by combining systematic field measurements from 342 deep cores and 177 shallow pits with support vector machine modelling. The work reveals a substantial carbon pool of 15.31 Pg C in the top 3 m, with 44% occurring in deep layers, and identifies significant spatial heterogeneity driven by landscape type. The findings highlight both the magnitude of this frozen carbon reservoir and the climate feedback risks associated with permafrost thawing in alpine regions.
UK applicability
This research has limited direct applicability to UK farming systems, as the Tibetan Plateau's alpine permafrost environment differs fundamentally from UK soil and climate conditions. However, the methodological approach combining systematic soil sampling with machine learning for spatial upscaling may inform UK soil carbon monitoring and sequestration assessment frameworks.
Key measures
Organic carbon density (OCD) per unit area; organic carbon pool size (Pg C); spatial distribution patterns; proportion of carbon in deep layers (100–300 cm); uncertainty ranges (interquartile ranges)
Outcomes reported
The study quantified permafrost organic carbon stocks to 3 m depth across the Tibetan Plateau using deep sediment cores and machine learning modelling. The median organic carbon pool size was estimated at 15.31 Pg C, with spatial variations documented and uncertainties quantified through Monte Carlo simulations.
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