Belowground carbon stored in a tropical mountain cloud forest of east-central Mexico

Carbon stocks in root biomass and soil organic carbon (SOC) were analysed in tropical mountain cloud forest (TMCF) of Mexico. Additionally, the hypothesis that the concentration of roots in the forest is not homogeneous but that they are concentrated near the trunks of the trees was evaluated. Root biomass was 707.68 +/- 150.41 g<middle dot>m-2, which stores similar to 353.85 +/- 75.21 g<middle dot>C<middle dot>m-2. Coarse roots contributed 36.8%, fine roots 35.5%, and very fine roots 27.7% of the total biomass. The results did not support the hypothesis that fine roots are concentrated near the trunks of the trees. On average, SOC was 108.23 +/- 33.21 Mg<middle dot>C<middle dot>ha-1. Mean C stored in the soil (C in roots + SOC) was 111.77 +/- 32.97 Mg<middle dot>C<middle dot>ha-1. The TMCF is an ecosystem with a high potential for soil carbon storage, with similar C values reported to those in other tropical forests.