Ashes to ashes: Characterization of organic matter in Andosols along a 3400 m elevation transect at Mount Kilimanjaro using analytical pyrolysis

Tropical mountain ecosystems cover a broad variety of climatic and vegetation zones and are global hotspots of biodiversity. These ecosystems are severely threatened by climate and land-use change, which also strongly affect soil properties. Mt. Kilimanjaro, with its large elevation gradient and relatively homogeneous geology of volcanic rocks and ashes, provides a unique opportunity to study and interpret soil organic matter (SOM) responses to...