The Role of Stand Age in Soil Carbon Dynamics in Afforested Post-Agricultural Ecosystems: The Case of Scots Pine Forests in Dfb-Climate Zone

Land use changes inevitably lead to changes in the carbon stocks stored in the soil. However, despite numerous studies investigating soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics following the afforestation of post-agricultural lands, findings remain diverse and often inconclusive. In this study, the effect of stand age on the carbon content and stock in Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) stands located in the Dfb-climate zone was investigated. Five research plots, characterized by similar soil types, geological structures, and tree cover, but differing in stand age (14-, 27-, 37-, 55-, 90-year-old stands), were selected. Additionally, one plot was located at arable soil as a reference. The soil was sampled from both organic and mineral horizons. The content of organic carbon in the organic horizion increased with years that passed from afforestation and amounted to 234.0, 251.6, 255.0, 265.0 and 293.0 g·kg−1 in 14-, 27-, 37-, 55- and 90-year-old stands, respectively. Such a pattern was also observed in the upper mineral horizons where the contents of SOC gradually increased from 7.27 g·kg−1 up to 17.1 g·kg−1. In the organic horizon, the stock of OC increased significantly with stand age up to 55 years after afforestation, while in the former plough layer, SOC stocks were found to slowly increase with stand age. The afforested soils, with the organic horizon, reached levels of carbon stocks observed on arable land after 17 years. Notably, the SOC stock in the mineral A horizon reach this level after 83 years. The obtained results indicate that in the years immediately following afforestation, SOC content is notably higher in arable soils compared to forest soils. However, as stand age increases, the SOC contents of upper horizons in forest soils surpass those of comparable agricultural soils. The observed SOC variability pinpoints the necessity of long-term monitoring in forest ecosystems in order to better understand the temporal dynamics of carbon turnover and to optimize afforestation strategies for long-term carbon sequestration.