Presently, the lack of data on soil organic carbon (SOC) in relation to land-use types and biophysical characteristics prevents reliable estimates of carbon stocks in montane landscapes of mainland SE Asia. Our study, conducted in a 10,000-hectare landscape in Xishuangbanna, SW China, aimed at assessing the spatial variability in SOC and its relationships with land-use cover and key biophysical characteristics at multiple spatial scales. We sampled 27 one-hectare plots including 10 plots in mature forests, 11 plots in regenerating or highly disturbed forests, and six plots in open land including tea plantations or grasslands.

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