Harnessing Soil Organic Carbon for Climate-Resilient Drylands in Tonk District, Rajasthan, India

Abstract

Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) is a critical determinant of soil fertility, ecosystem stability, and climate regulation. This study analyzes the spatial and temporal dynamics of SOC in the Tonk District of Rajasthan, India, using the Trend.Earth platform integrated with satellite-derived Land-Use and Land Cover (LULC) data for the period 2001-2020 Statistical trend analyses (Mann-Kendall, Sen’s Slope, and Pearson correlation) indicate that 98.31% ± 0.17% of the area has remained stable in SOC content, demonstrating high soil resilience, while 1.63% ± 0.17% shows measurable degradation, largely influenced by wind erosion and intensive agricultural activity. Land-use change analysis further reveals 48.2 km² of urban expansion and -6.9 km² of reduced irrigated cropland, reflecting growing anthropogenic pressure on soil resources. These findings emphasize the need for targeted soil conservation, agro-forestry adoption, and integrated land-management policies to sustain soil carbon stocks. The study demonstrates the applicability of Trend. Earth-based geospatial monitoring for evidence-driven SOC assessment and regional climate resilience planning in semi-arid environments.