C:N:P stoichiometry as indicator of Histosol drainage in lowland and mountains forest ecosystem

Background: Peatlands form one of the largest carbon pools in the terrestrial biosphere, representing approximately one-third of the world's soil carbon. The aim of this study is to establish and compare the C/N/P ratio of different types of Histosols. We believe that C/N/P stoichiometry is a good indicator of changes occurring in Histosols, especially those caused by dehydration. Four types of Histosols from lowland and mountain areas were investigated: fibric Histosols, hemic Histosols, sapric Histosols and Histosols drainic. Results We established the concentration and stoichiometry of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorous in the Histosols, and found marked differences in C/N/P stoichiometry between the different types – especially the dehydrated samples. The average C/N/P ratio of dehydrated soil was narrower than the C/N/P ratio of soil under the influence of water, which demonstrates that dehydrating Histosols leads to a narrower C/N/P stoichiometry. This is directly related to the intensification of the organic matter mineralisation process and the resulting loss of organic carbon. We recorded a 50% lower carbon stock in the case of Histosols drainic compared to the other types of Histosols. Conclusions The narrower C/N/P stoichiometry in Histosols drainic is the result of an improvement in the ratio of N and P to the C content. Thus, this study demonstrates that C/N/P stoichiometry is a useful indicator of the changes that occur in Histosols as a result of dehydration.