Organic Carbon Dynamics in Different Soil Types After Conversion of Forest to Agriculture

摘要: State-of-the-art predictive models of soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics associated with land use changes are unable to reflect the diversity tropical types as knowledge contrasting site-specific factors in mediating response SOC pool is sparse. This paper examines influence type and management on following conversion forests annual cropping Ghana. Soil from primary areas short (2–7 years) long (20 years) histories maize cultivation was sampled a Vertisol dominated by smectite Ultisol kaolinite. Wet sieving used separate fractions below above 250 µm. concentrations δ13C signatures bulk were determined. stocks calculated commonly fixed depth approach equivalent mass approach. After 20 years Vertisol, total content 40 per cent lower than under forest, about 95 forest-derived had been lost. Ultisol, only 20 forest merely 30 Both managed they would typically be small scale farming systems, thus higher losses substantial loss question conventional concept having SOC-stabilizing potential kaolinite field conditions. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.