Ambaw et al. (2026): Soil organic carbon accrual after conversion from cropland to grassland across a range of soil textures depends on duration, carbon input and stabilization capacity
Abebaw Misganaw Ambaw, Mengqi Wu, Steffen Schlüter, Doris Vetterlein, IN: Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2026.110378
Enhancing soil organic carbon (SOC) storage is a climate mitigation goal, yet the magnitude and persistence of carbon gains following land-use change remain uncertain across soil textures and depths. The authors quantified the relative influence of land use, time since conversion, and texture on SOC accrual after conversion of cropland to grassland. The study investigated nine long-term paired grassland–cropland sites across Germany, spanning a texture gradient (4–85% sand) and a duration of 8–100 years since conversion from cropland. Adjacent grassland and cropland plots with shared land-use history were sampled at 10–20 and 45–60 cm depth to assess physical and chemical soil properties and identify the main controls on SOC differences.