Project Summary
PASOC-FracNet (Pan-Arctic Soil Organic Carbon Fraction Network) is a 12-month, Early Career Researcher (ECR)-led coordination project designed to improve comparability and consistency in assessing the vulnerability of soil organic carbon (SOC) in Arctic terrestrial ecosystems. Arctic tundra soils store approximately one-third of the global soil organic carbon (SOC) total, but predicting responses to warming, winter-regime change, and permafrost thaw requires looking beyond total carbon amounts to the specific form that carbon takes in soil. In particular, SOC is primarily divided into two distinct forms: particulate organic carbon (POC), consisting of relatively fresh plant-derived material that is typically more readily decomposed, and mineral-associated organic carbon (MAOC), which tends to persist longer because it is stabilized through interaction with soil particles (e.g., clay and silt). Without distinguishing these forms, it is difficult to reliably identify which soils are most vulnerable to rapid carbon loss under warming and other environmental changes. At present, robust pan-Arctic synthesis is hampered by diverse laboratory fractionation protocols and by datasets that are scattered and inconsistently reported. Recent meta-analyses led by the applicant demonstrate that these methodological discrepancies currently obscure true ecological signals and prevent valid cross-site comparisons. PASOC-FracNet will not generate new experimental data; instead, through the IASC Terrestrial Working Group (TWG), it will convene international contributors to:
- compile a methodological inventory of existing SOC fraction datasets;
- develop uncertainty-aware harmonization guidance for legacy data integration; and
- release a community-aligned "Pan-Arctic SOC Fractionation Technical Manual (v1.0)" with recommended protocols and reporting templates.
These open-access outputs will enable robust pan-Arctic synthesis, support benchmarks for model evaluation, and help prioritize monitoring in “at-risk” soils across rapidly thawing landscapes. Finally, the project will provide a strategic roadmap toward coordinated SOC fraction observations in the lead-up to the 5th International Polar Year (IPY-5).
Date and Location:
Multiple, including ASSW 2027
IASC Working Group / Committees funding the Project:
- Terrestrial WG
Project Lead
You Jin Kim (Kyung Hee University, Republic of Korea)
Year funded by IASC
2026
Project Status
Upcoming