Ecosystem/Landscape Services Provided by Umbrosols (UM) in Selected Mountainous Municipalities of Sofia District

Comptes rendus de l'Acade'mie bulgare des Sciences, Vol 69, No3, pp.319-326
Ecosystem/Landscape Services Provided by Umbrosols (UM) in Selected Mountainous Municipalities of Sofia District
Assen Assenov, Aleksander Sarafov, Petko Bozhkov
ABSTRACT

The presented study aims to identify and quantify organic carbon as a supporting ecosystem/landscape service of Umbrosols (UM) in Stara Planina municipalities in the eastern part of Sofia district. For this purpose descriptions and sampling were performed along the ridge of Stara Planina falling in the territory of the municipalities of Gorna Malina, Mirkovo, Chelopech, Zlatitsa, Pirdop and Anton. Laboratory chemical and granulometric analyses of nine taken samples were carried out to establish the mechanical structure of the surface layer and the organic carbon content by a standard test method. The value of carbon per ton in mountain meadow soils, equated to the carbon emissions, is determined and presented as monetary value in EUR to indicate the value of "carbon stock" as a supporting ecosystem/landscape service of Umbrosols (UM). The results are comparable to other benchmark values and indicate that the relatively less studied Umbrosols (UM) have significant potential as a battery of organic carbon.

Key words: ecosystem/landscape services, organic carbon, Umbrosols (UM)