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Since rainforest soil is generally highly weathered from the tropical climate, it is characteristically low in kaolinite, iron oxide, aluminum oxide etc, has a low cation exchange capacity, low base saturation, and high acidity. These deficiencies of the soil further emphasize the importance of the benefits from soil organic carbon or SOC. It is formed initially from litter and debris collected on the forest floor which is then broken down little by little by fungi and micro-organisms. SOC serves as a source of energy, nutrients, and also helps other processes work.

SOC is a key factor in keeping the land in usable condition. In order to create sustainable land use systems, SOC levels need to be kept healthy in the soil. This paper studied the affects of afforestation (replanting trees) on SOC levels. In a lot of the places where these blocks of fast growing, exotic trees such as eucalyptus were planted (to harvest for wood), the increased working of the soil (i.e. aerating, etc.) made the decomposition rates increase which decreased the amount of SOC’s. However, if this disruption of the natural soil could be avoided through less invasive techniques, planting these trees could actually increase the amount of litterfall, etc, and therefore increase the SOC’s. The trees and SOC’s could also serve as sinks for carbon and from there help to reduce the global warming problem.

So, in terms of Mission 2006, finding a better way to use afforestation and its effect on SOC’s both to our economical and environmental advantage could be a possible part of the solution.