diff --git a/biogeochem/EDPatchDynamicsMod.F90 b/biogeochem/EDPatchDynamicsMod.F90
index 33c949327d..3ccd344242 100644
--- a/biogeochem/EDPatchDynamicsMod.F90
+++ b/biogeochem/EDPatchDynamicsMod.F90
@@ -1161,7 +1161,7 @@ subroutine check_patch_area( currentSite )
     ! !USES:
     !
     ! !ARGUMENTS:
-    type(ed_site_type), intent(in), target  :: currentSite 
+    type(ed_site_type), intent(inout), target  :: currentSite 
     !
     ! !LOCAL VARIABLES:
     real(r8)                     :: areatot
@@ -1216,6 +1216,9 @@ subroutine check_patch_area( currentSite )
                  currentSite%mass_balance(el)%patch_resize_err + mass_gain
 
        end do
+
+       currentSite%patch_area_conservation_error = currentSite%patch_area_conservation_error + &
+            area_site-areatot
        
        largestPatch%area = largestPatch%area + (area_site-areatot)
        
diff --git a/main/EDMainMod.F90 b/main/EDMainMod.F90
index adb803e639..4c5286bb0a 100644
--- a/main/EDMainMod.F90
+++ b/main/EDMainMod.F90
@@ -241,6 +241,9 @@ subroutine ed_ecosystem_dynamics(currentSite, bc_in)
     ! Patch dynamics sub-routines: fusion, new patch creation (spwaning), termination.
     !*********************************************************************************
 
+    ! zero site-level patch area error tracking
+    currentSite%patch_area_conservation_error = 0._r8
+
     ! make new patches from disturbed land
     if ( hlm_use_ed_st3.eq.ifalse ) then
        call spawn_patches(currentSite, bc_in)
diff --git a/main/EDTypesMod.F90 b/main/EDTypesMod.F90
index 2b2e9fd11a..a2b5df5892 100644
--- a/main/EDTypesMod.F90
+++ b/main/EDTypesMod.F90
@@ -771,6 +771,7 @@ module EDTypesMod
      real(r8) :: disturbance_rates_secondary_to_secondary(N_DIST_TYPES)  ! actual disturbance rates from secondary patches to secondary patches [m2/m2/day]
      real(r8) :: potential_disturbance_rates(N_DIST_TYPES)               ! "potential" disturb rates (i.e. prior to the "which is most" logic) [m2/m2/day]
      real(r8) :: primary_land_patchfusion_error                          ! error term in total area of primary patches associated with patch fusion [m2/m2/day]
+     real(r8) :: patch_area_conservation_error                           ! error term in total area of patches associated with patch area conservation [m2/m2/day]   
      
   end type ed_site_type
 
diff --git a/main/FatesHistoryInterfaceMod.F90 b/main/FatesHistoryInterfaceMod.F90
index 478d4a18de..c6a916a4a1 100644
--- a/main/FatesHistoryInterfaceMod.F90
+++ b/main/FatesHistoryInterfaceMod.F90
@@ -191,6 +191,7 @@ module FatesHistoryInterfaceMod
   integer :: ih_canopy_biomass_si
   integer :: ih_understory_biomass_si
 
+  integer :: ih_patch_area_conservation_error_si
   integer :: ih_primaryland_fusion_error_si
   integer :: ih_disturbance_rate_p2p_si
   integer :: ih_disturbance_rate_p2s_si
@@ -1789,6 +1790,7 @@ subroutine update_history_dyn(this,nc,nsites,sites,bc_in)
                hio_agb_si              => this%hvars(ih_agb_si)%r81d, &
                hio_canopy_biomass_si   => this%hvars(ih_canopy_biomass_si)%r81d, &
                hio_understory_biomass_si   => this%hvars(ih_understory_biomass_si)%r81d, &
+               hio_patch_area_conservation_error_si => this%hvars(ih_patch_area_conservation_error_si)%r81d, &
                hio_primaryland_fusion_error_si    => this%hvars(ih_primaryland_fusion_error_si)%r81d, &
                hio_disturbance_rate_p2p_si       => this%hvars(ih_disturbance_rate_p2p_si)%r81d, &
                hio_disturbance_rate_p2s_si       => this%hvars(ih_disturbance_rate_p2s_si)%r81d, &
@@ -2064,6 +2066,9 @@ subroutine update_history_dyn(this,nc,nsites,sites,bc_in)
          ! error in primary lands from patch fusion
          hio_primaryland_fusion_error_si = sites(s)%primary_land_patchfusion_error
 
+         ! total error in patch area fixed during conservation check
+         hio_patch_area_conservation_error_si = sites(s)%patch_area_conservation_error
+
          ! output site-level disturbance rates
          hio_disturbance_rate_p2p_si = sum(sites(s)%disturbance_rates_primary_to_primary(1:N_DIST_TYPES))
          hio_disturbance_rate_p2s_si = sum(sites(s)%disturbance_rates_primary_to_secondary(1:N_DIST_TYPES))
@@ -4249,6 +4254,11 @@ subroutine define_history_vars(this, initialize_variables)
          ivar=ivar, initialize=initialize_variables, index = ih_understory_biomass_si )
 
     ! disturbance rates
+    call this%set_history_var(vname='PATCH_AREA_CONSERVATION_ERROR', units='m2 m-2 d-1',                   &
+         long='Error in total patch area fixed to ensure conservation',  use_default='active',     &
+         avgflag='A', vtype=site_r8, hlms='CLM:ALM', flushval=0.0_r8, upfreq=1,   &
+         ivar=ivar, initialize=initialize_variables, index = ih_patch_area_conservation_error_si )
+
     call this%set_history_var(vname='PRIMARYLAND_PATCHFUSION_ERROR', units='m2 m-2 d-1',                   &
          long='Error in total primary lands associated with patch fusion',  use_default='active',     &
          avgflag='A', vtype=site_r8, hlms='CLM:ALM', flushval=0.0_r8, upfreq=1,   &