Articles | Volume 7, issue 2
https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-7-661-2021
© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-7-661-2021
© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Original research article
| 
11 Oct 2021
Original research article |
| 11 Oct 2021
| 11 Oct 2021
The effects of sealing on urban soil carbon and nutrients
Roisin O'Riordan
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YQ, United Kingdom
Invited contribution by Roisin O'Riordan, recipient of the EGU Soil System Sciences Outstanding Student Poster and PICO Award 2019.
Jess Davies
Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YQ, United Kingdom
Centre for Global Eco-Innovation, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YQ, United Kingdom
Carly Stevens
Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YQ, United Kingdom
John N. Quinton
Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YQ, United Kingdom
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- R-ECO: An R script to measure the supply of urban ecosystem services in Europe D. Jato-Espino & M. Jensen 10.1016/j.scs.2025.106358
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23 citations as recorded by crossref.
- The Road to 2030: Evaluating Europe’s Progress on Sustainable Ecosystem Protection and Restoration D. Firoiu et al. 10.3390/land13121974
- Spatial variability in soil physicochemical parameters across land use classes in the peri-urban landscape M. Chaurasia et al. 10.1007/s10668-023-03653-8
- Comprehensive evaluation of soil characteristics and carbon stocks variability in different urban land use types N. Reyes et al. 10.4491/eer.2023.568
- A simple method to map pollination ecosystem services potential in urban lawns P. Pereira et al. 10.1016/j.mex.2024.102943
- Role of Plants and Urban Soils in Carbon Stock: Status, Modulators, and Sustainable Management Practices A. Fiorentino et al. 10.3390/plants14040546
- The patterns of soil nitrogen stocks and C : N stoichiometry under impervious surfaces in China Q. Ding et al. 10.5194/essd-15-4599-2023
- After-sealing life in urban soils: Experimental evidence of resilience and efficiency of ectomycorrhizal inoculation A. Louise et al. 10.1016/j.landurbplan.2024.105149
- Urban Land Conversion Reduces Soil Organic Carbon Density Under Impervious Surfaces Q. Ding et al. 10.1029/2021GB007293
- Toulouse Hyperspectral Data Set: A benchmark data set to assess semi-supervised spectral representation learning and pixel-wise classification techniques R. Thoreau et al. 10.1016/j.isprsjprs.2024.05.003
- Constructing (multi)functional soil using urban organic and sediment wastes L. Porter et al. 10.1038/s44284-025-00332-9
- Spatially explicit subpixel-based study on the expansion of impervious surfaces and its impacts on soil organic carbon Y. Yan et al. 10.1007/s11252-022-01322-8
- Soil depth and vegetation type influence ecosystem functions in urban greenspaces J. Molina et al. 10.1016/j.apsoil.2023.105209
- Urbanization shifts stress-response traits in an alien herb across five tropical cities L. Flores-Reyes et al. 10.1007/s11252-025-01717-3
- Improving spectral estimation of soil inorganic carbon in urban and suburban areas by coupling continuous wavelet transform with geographical stratification Y. Hong et al. 10.1016/j.geoderma.2022.116284
- Urban forest soil is becoming alkaline under rapid urbanization: A case study of Changchun, northeast China P. Zhang et al. 10.1016/j.catena.2023.106993
- Nitrogen enrichment does not adversely affect exchangeable bases in rainfed urban arable soils of Kumasi, a tropical West African city S. Asabere et al. 10.1016/j.geoderma.2024.116864
- R-ECO: An R script to measure the supply of urban ecosystem services in Europe D. Jato-Espino & M. Jensen 10.1016/j.scs.2025.106358
- Urbanization and sealing of fertile soils: A case study in Wisconsin 2001–2021 A. Stevenson et al. 10.1016/j.soisec.2025.100183
- Effects of recreational and residential functional land use on urban soils O. Gordienko & A. Kulik 10.15201/hungeobull.73.2.2
- Future (2020–2099) Carbon and Water Dynamics of Lehigh Valley Based on Land Use and Land Cover Change B. Felzer & C. Andrade 10.3390/environments11070133
- Anthropogenic Drivers of Small-Island Effects in Urban Remnant Woody Plants D. Kong et al. 10.3390/plants13243522
- Terrestrial carbon sequestration under future climate, nutrient and land use change and management scenarios: a national-scale UK case study D. Yumashev et al. 10.1088/1748-9326/aca037
- Soil Black Carbon Increases Under Urban Trees with Road Density and Time: Opportunity Hotspots for Carbon Storage in Urban Ecosystems K. Kang et al. 10.1007/s00267-023-01911-z
1 citations as recorded by crossref.
Latest update: 21 Oct 2025
Short summary
As urban populations grow, soil sealing with impermeable surfaces will increase. At present there is limited knowledge on the effect of sealing on soil carbon and nutrients. We found that, in general, sealing reduced soil carbon and nutrients; however, where there were additions due to human activity, soil carbon and nutrients were increased. This suggests that there is a legacy soil carbon store in areas with an industrial past and highlights the influence of artefacts in urban soil.
As urban populations grow, soil sealing with impermeable surfaces will increase. At present...
