Global patterns and drivers of soil total phosphorus concentration

Abstract. Soil represents the largest phosphorus (P) stock in terrestrial ecosystems. Determining amount of soil P is a critical first step identifying sites where ecosystem functioning potentially limited by availability. However, global patterns and predictors total concentration remain poorly understood. To address this knowledge gap, we constructed database 5275 globally distributed (semi-)natural soils from 761 published studies. We quantified relative importance 13 soil-forming variables predicting then made further predictions at scale using random forest approach. varied significantly among parent material types, orders, biomes, continents ranged widely 1.4 to 9630.0 (median 430.0 mean 570.0) mg kg?1 across globe. About two-thirds (65 %) variation was accounted for that selected, which organic carbon concentration, material, annual temperature, sand content were most important ones. While predicted concentrations increased with latitude, they largely regions similar latitudes due regional differences topography, and/or climate conditions. stocks (excluding Antarctica) estimated be 26.8 ± 3.1 (mean standard deviation) Pg 62.2 8.9 (1 = 1 × 1015 g) topsoil (0–30 cm) subsoil (30–100 cm), respectively. Our map as well underlying drivers can used constraint Earth system models represent cycle inform quantification Raw datasets maps generated study are available https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.14583375 (He et al., 2021).