Soil Organic Carbon Storage in An Elevational Transect, White Mountains, Eastern California.

The White Mountains in arid eastern California present an elevational range of 1575 to 4280 meters with soil temperature regimes from mesic to cryic. Dominant vegetation changes successively with increasing elevation as follows: shadescale-big sagebrush-pinyon/juniper-limber pine-alpine grasses. The objective of this study was to evaluate organic carbon storage in soils as a function of elevation. Replicate pedons were sampled at regular elevation intervals along the transect. Organic carbon was determined by subtracting carbonate carbon determined manometrically from total carbon determined by dry combustion. Results are expected to reflect increasing organic carbon content with increasing elevation.