Soil Inorganic Carbon (SIC)
Definition
The carbon stored in soil in mineral forms, primarily as carbonates such as calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) and magnesium carbonate (MgCO₃) or from the reaction of soil minerals with atmospheric CO₂.
The gasses carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide are also classed as inorganic carbon.
Unlike soil organic carbon, SIC originates from weathering of parent material or precipitation of carbonates and plays a key role in soil pH regulation and long-term carbon storage.
