Urban expanding pattern and soil organic, inorganic carbon distribution in Shanghai, China

Soil carbon stock changes induced by land-use change play an essential role in the global greenhouse effect and carbon circulation. This paper studies the urban expanding patterns and spatial characteristics of soil organic carbon (SOC) and soil inorganic carbon (SIC) distribution and evolution during the urbanization process of Shanghai, China, based on the data of the regional geochemical survey. Urbanization process in Shanghai, China, has been quickening greatly since the 1980s. The urban area expanded from 193.08 km² in 1980 to 1,570.52 km² in 2005, or up from 3.05 to 24.77% in the past 25 years, and the urban expansion circled the central city region according to the RS images acquired in the periods of 1980, 2000 and 2005. The urban topsoil is slightly enriched with SOC and SIC, which shows obvious spatial variability. By comparison of SOC and SIC distribution in the central urban area, urbanized area during 1980–2000, 2000–2005 and the suburban area, the SOC obviously accumulates in the central urban area, while SOC density in the urbanized area decreases; similarly, the SIC obviously accumulates in central urban area; furthermore, the SIC density increases with urban land use duration extending and urban ecosystem evolving. This paper provides the characteristics of SOC and SIC distribution and evolution during the course of urbanization, which may be useful for assessing the impact of land use and urban development on SOC and SIC pools in urban ecosystem.