Aridity drives the response of soil organic carbon and inorganic carbon to drought in cropland
Abstract
This global dataset compiles paired measurements of soil organic carbon (SOC) and soil inorganic carbon (SIC) from cropland soils, with both components present (non-zero). Each soil profile is geo-referenced and classified by aridity type (arid, semi-arid, sub-humid, humid) and irrigation type (rainfed or irrigated). The dataset enables analysis of SOC–SIC relationships across climatic gradients and under different management regimes. Data are organized in a tabular format with fields including depth, SOC, SIC, aridity index, irrigation status, and basic soil properties. It provides a valuable resource for investigating the interplay between organic and inorganic carbon in croplands, assessing the influence of aridity and irrigation on soil carbon dynamics, and improving global carbon modeling. All records were obtained from open-access or authorized sources, with no ethical or personal information involved.
Dataset DOI: 10.5061/dryad.2fqz61336
Description of the data and file structure
This dataset was compiled to investigate the relationships between soil organic carbon (SOC) and soil inorganic carbon (SIC) in global cropland soils under varying climatic and management conditions. Data were collected from published studies, open-access databases, and authorized contributors, focusing on soil profiles where both SOC and SIC contents were measured and non-zero.
Each record represents a soil profile or horizon with associated metadata, including sampling depth, SOC and SIC contents, aridity classification (arid, semi-arid, sub-humid, humid), and irrigation type (rainfed or irrigated). Additional soil properties such as bulk density are included where available.
The dataset supports analyses of how aridity gradients and irrigation practices influence the balance and interaction between SOC and SIC in croplands, contributing to improved understanding and modeling of soil carbon dynamics under changing environmental and management conditions.
Files and variables
File: data.xlsx
Description: A dataset compiles paired measurements of soil organic carbon (SOC) and inorganic carbon (SIC) from cropland.
Variables
- Profile_id: Unique identifier for a soil profile (a vertical sequence of soil layers at one sampling location)
- date: Year the soil sample was collected
- soil_layer: Depth interval of the sampled soil layer
- BD: Mass of dry soil per unit volume. Indicates soil compaction (g/cm³)
- Cfvo (Coarse Fragment Volume): Volume percentage of coarse fragments (>2 mm), such as gravel and stones (%)
- SIC_content (Soil Inorganic Carbon Content) (g/kg)
- SOC_content (Soil Organic Carbon Content) (g/kg)
- Drought: Climate/aridity classification of the sampling location
- dataset: sample dataset
- country: sample country
Access information
Other publicly accessible locations of the data:
- Article: Size, distribution, and vulnerability of the global soil inorganic carbon & Dataest: the World Soil Information Service (WoSIS).
Data was derived from the following sources:
- None