Abstract
The studies were carried out in central Poland. Total organic carbon (Corg), total nitrogen (Nt) and C of humus fractions in uppermost soil horizons were analyzed in afforested meadow soils in first and fifth year of afforestation (2 profiles) and compared to about 70-year-old continuous forest soils. Soil was collected from 0-5, 5-10, 10-15 and 15-20 cm layers depth. The results showed that the soil Corganic (Corg) and Ntotal (Nt) decreased with depth in both studied periods. The Corg amounts were higher in the second period (5 years after afforestation) in almost every layer of the humus horizons in comparison to the first year of afforestation. The Nt content rather decreased in particular layers during five years, but mean values of 0-20 cm depth were lower or higher in dependence on soil type. The content of both elements in the studied layers was lower in the 5-year afforested soils than in the continuous forest soils. The results indicated changes in organic matter properties too, but the distribution of the different soil organic matter fractions in humus layers in time was dependent on soil properties. Soil plays a significant role in carbon sequestration. A few comparative studies of organic matter in forest, grassland, arable, former grassland and post arable soils do not supply an unequivocal answer on the influence of afforestation on the organic carbon and organic matter content in soils. Most research is focused on soil quality after land use change from arable to forest. This is because this land management conversion is most common. Studies conducted by the team of Szujecki (23) indicate that C org content in the sub-surface soil horizons of younger forest stands is higher in post-arable soils than in forest soils. In turn, in deeper horizons an opposite trend is observed and the forest soils are characterized by a higher content of C org and Nt in comparison to post-arable soils. Other studies evidence an increasing C org content subsequently
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