Are human activities main drivers of soil organic carbon losses in mountain rainfed agroecosystems?

Abstract

To assess the effects of extreme storms in rainfed agriculture catchments on soil organic carbon removal, surface soil samples from different land uses were collected in a medium-sized catchment at the foot of Santo Domingo range. The study area was mostly cultivated at the beginning of the 19th century but changed to rangeland and afforestation forest in the last 50 years. The remaining cropland area is mostly rainfed agriculture that leaves soils unprotected in periods when erosive storms occur (autumn convective rainfalls).