Pyrogenic carbon contribution to tropical savanna soil carbon storage

Yong Zhou (), A. Tyler Karp, Abigail Schmidt and Corli Coetsee
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Yong Zhou: Utah State University
A. Tyler Karp: University of Chicago
Abigail Schmidt: Utah State University
Corli Coetsee: Nelson Mandela University

Nature Communications, 2025, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-10

Abstract: Abstract Savannas are fire-prone ecosystems that contribute substantially to global fire emissions, but these emissions may be partly offset by deposition of fire-derived, persistent pyrogenic carbon (PyC) in soils. Although estimates of PyC contributions to soil organic carbon (SOC) storage in savanna exist, factors driving its accumulation remain unclear due to limited measurements with consistent methods. To address this, we sampled 253 sites across tropical savannas in Kruger National Park, South Africa, spanning broad gradients in fire regimes, grass biomass, rainfall, and soil texture. Here we show, PyC measured with H2O2/HNO3 digestion contributed, on average, 14.08% (se = 0.36%, n = 253) of SOC in surface soils, with values up to 40%. While fire frequency and grass biomass influenced soil PyC stocks, savannas with higher clay content and lower rainfall – conditions favoring PyC preservation – tended to accumulate more. These results demonstrate PyC’s significant contribution to SOC storage and highlight environmental factors driving its accumulation in tropical savannas, providing an empirical basis for understanding fire’s role in the savanna carbon cycle.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-64699-y

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