Alpine soils store large quantities of total organic carbon (TOC). Given their high sensitivity to climate change, they may release large amounts of CO₂ in a warming climate scenario. Thus, it is important to know their C stocks in order to estimate its possible release. While C stocks of forest, dwarf shrub and alpine grassland soils are well documented, little is known about soils and C stocks in high-elevated periglacial environments dominated by frost-driven processes. The object of this study is the periglacial environment of the Stolenberg Plateau (LTER site Istituto Mosso, 3030 m a.s.l.), at the foot of the Monte Rosa Massif (NW Italian Alps). The plateau is mostly covered by a thick stony layer, organized in periglacial blockfields and blockstreams. The plant cover reaches only 3–5%. During the construction of a chair lift, open trenches revealed, unexpectedly, well-developed soils under the active periglacial stone cover. In particular, thick (30–65 cm) and dark TOC-rich A horizons were observed. Below these Umbric horizons, Cambic Bw ones were developed but discontinuous. Despite the lack of vegetation, C stocks were remarkably high (up to ~ 5 kg m⁻²), comparable to vegetated soils at lower elevation. Non-invasive geophysical methods revealed that these hidden soils were widespread on the plateau under the stony cover, with a mean thickness of around 50 cm. These TOC-rich soils, without vegetation and covered by periglacial landforms, represent a unique pedoenvironment suggesting new perspectives on the actual C-stocks at high-elevation sites, which are probably underestimated.

高山土壤存储大量的总有机碳（TOC）。由于它们对气候变化高度敏感，因此它们可能释放大量CO ₂在气候变暖的情况下。因此，重要的是要知道他们的碳储备，以估计其可能的释放。尽管森林，矮灌木丛和高山草原土壤的碳储量得到了充分的文献记载，但对于以霜冻驱动过程为主的高海拔冰缘环境中的土壤和碳储量，人们知之甚少。这项研究的对象是Stolenberg高原的冰缘环境（LTER站点Istituto Mosso，海拔3030 m），位于Monte Rosa Massif（意大利西北阿尔卑斯山）脚下。高原大部分被厚厚的石质层覆盖，分布在冰川周围的块田和块溪流中。植物覆盖率只有3–5％。在建造升降椅的过程中，开放的沟槽出乎意料地露出活跃的冰川周围石盖下的发达土壤。尤其是，观察到厚（30–65厘米）和富含TOC的深色层。在这些Umbric视野之下，Cambic Bw视野被开发但不连续。尽管缺乏植被，但碳储量仍然很高（可达〜5 kg m^-2），与较低海拔的植被土壤相当。非侵入性地球物理方法表明，这些隐蔽的土壤广泛分布在石质覆盖层下的高原上，平均厚度约为50厘米。这些富含TOC的土壤，没有植被并且被冰川地带覆盖，代表了独特的土壤环境，这提示了对高海拔地区实际C储量的新观点，这可能被低估了。