Cambios en el contenido de carbono orgánico del suelo bajo diferentes usos de la tierra en la región andina de Ecuador

Páramo ecosystems are strategic environments that provide essential ecosystem services, among which carbon storage and water regulation stand out. However, in recent decades they have experienced a significant reduction in their extent, mainly due to the expansion of agricultural activities, highlighting the need to comprehensively assess their ecological and economic functions. The objective of this study was to evaluate changes in soil organic carbon (SOC) content under different land-use types in the upper zone of the Hualcanga stream, Igualata páramo, Tungurahua Province. Three land-use types were evaluated: páramo, pasture, and cropland. In each land-use type, ten 20 × 20 m plots were established. Soil samples were collected at a depth of 0–30 cm. The physicochemical parameters analyzed included color, texture, structure, moisture content, electrical conductivity, the NaF test, bulk density, pH, and organic carbon. The analysis of soil physicochemical properties in the páramo ecosystem showed variations associated with land-use change. Páramo soils exhibited the highest moisture values (50.81%), lower bulk density (1.17 g cm⁻³), and moderately acidic pH (5.76–5.98), conditions favorable for soil organic carbon accumulation, with a mean value of 3.5%. In contrast, soils under cropland showed lower moisture (29.98%), higher bulk density (1.26 g cm⁻³), and lower SOC content (2.24%), with significant differences among land-use types (p = 0.006). Consequently, páramo ecosystems play a key role in climate change mitigation, underscoring the importance of their conservation and sustainable management.