The carbon content of topsoil and its geographical distribution in France

Abstract. An estimate of organic carbon stored in French soils to a depth of 30 cm was made using data from geo-referenced databases. We produced statistics on carbon stocks in soils according to land use, different land uses and soil type. Then, using a combination of maps of soil and land use we were able to estimate regional and national carbon stocks. This soil carbon map of France allowed us to identify the main controlling factors of the carbon distribution: land use, soil type in some cases, clay content, and elevation. Carbon stocks in French soils were found to be about 3.1 Pg (10¹⁵g).     

The influence of plant residues on soil aggregation and carbon content: A meta-analysis

Background

Soil aggregation and organic carbon (OC) content are important indicators of soil quality that can be improved with plant residue amendments. The extent of the effects of plant residue amendments on soil aggregation and OC content across different plant residue and soil types is not fully understood.

Aim

In this meta-analysis, we evaluated the effects of plant residue amendments on soil aggregation and OC content for different plant residues (fresh, charred) and soil types varying in clay content, initial OC content, and pH.

Methods

Our meta-analysis included 50 published studies (total of 299 paired observations). We estimated the response ratios of mean weight diameter (MWD) and separate aggregate size classes, total soil OC (TSC), and aggregate-associated OC. We also considered the effect of experimental factors (study duration, residue type, residue amount, initial soil OC, clay content, and pH).

Results

The benefit of plant residue amendment on soil aggregation was larger in soils with initially low OC content and neutral pH. Initial soil OC content and pH were more important than soil clay content for OC storage in soil aggregates. Both fresh and charred plant residue amendments were effective in forming aggregates, whereas charred residues were more effective in increasing TSC. We found only a weak positive relationship between the response ratio of TSC and MWD indicating that other factors besides soil aggregation contributed to the increase in soil C storage.

Conclusions

While plant residue amendments can enhance soil aggregation and TSC, these effects are likely governed by the type of plant residue and soil properties such as the initial soil pH and OC content.     

Soil profile distribution of total C content and natural abundance of 13C in two volcanic soils subjected to crop residue burning versus crop residue retention

Abstract

Soil organic carbon (SOC) plays a key role in crop productivity and soil quality. Conservation agriculture has a positive effect on SOC accumulation in the surface soil horizons, but little information is available regarding the effect of the removal of crop residues by burning. This study aimed to assess the impact of different types of crop residue management practices on the total C distribution and natural abundance of ¹³C (‰, δ¹³C). Two volcanic soils, located in the Mediterranean temperate zone of Southern Chile, were studied: an Ultisol (Collipulli Series, CPL) and an Andisol (Santa Bárbara Series, SBA). Both soils had been cultivated under direct-drilling and a typical annual crop rotation system for a long period of time. Two different types of crop residue management practices were imposed in both soils: (i) crop residue burning (CPL-B; SBA-B) and (ii) crop residue retention over the soil (CPL-R; SBA-R), corresponding to treatments B and R, respectively. Soil profile distribution of the C content and natural abundance of ¹³C were analysed for bulk soils (down to 100 cm depth) and three particle-size fractions of the soils (down to 20 cm of soil depth): (a) ≤ 53 µm, (b) 53-212 µm and (c) ≥ 212 µm. It was found that the effect of crop residue management can be observed in the variations of C content and δ¹³C in the soil profile in both volcanic soils. Crop residue burning (B treatment) increased the C content in bulk soil and the particle-size fractions. On the other hand, soil organic matter of crop residue retention (R treatment) showed higher natural abundance of ¹³C (δ¹³C) compared with residue burning (B treatment) in the two volcanic soils. R treatment enriched the particle-size fractions (except ≥ 212 µm fraction of CPL soil) with ¹³C. Factors that could account for these findings are also discussed here.     

耕作与轮作方式对黑土有机碳和全氮储量的影响

土壤有机碳(SOC)及全氮(TN)对土壤肥力、作物产量、农业可持续发展以及全球碳、氮循环等都具有重要影响。为探索不同耕作和轮作方式对耕层黑土SOC和TN储量的影响,本文以吉林省德惠市进行了8 a的田间定位试验中层黑土为研究对象,对免耕、垄作和秋翻三种耕作方式及玉米-大豆轮作和玉米连作两种轮作方式下SOC和TN在各土层的含量变化进行了分析,并采用等质量土壤有机质储量计算方法,对比分析了不同处理对0～30 cm SOC和TN储量的影响。结果表明,与试验开始前相比,玉米-大豆轮作系统中,秋翻下SOC和TN储量均有所降低;免耕显著增加了0～5 cm SOC及TN含量,但SOC在亚表层亏损,导致其储量并未增加;而垄作处理下SOC及TN含量在0～5、5～10 cm的均显著增加,0～30 cm储量亦分别增加了4.9%和10.7%。玉米连作系统的两种耕作处理(免耕和秋翻)下SOC和TN储量均有所增加,且TN储量增幅均高于玉米-大豆轮作系统,其中免耕下TN储量增幅是玉米-大豆轮作的3.2倍。所有处理下C/N均呈降低趋势,其中垄作0～5 cm C/N由12.05降至11.04,降低幅度分别是免耕和秋翻的3.2和2.8倍。综上可知,对质地黏重排水不良的中层黑土,玉米-大豆轮作系统下免耕并不是促进SOC固定的有效形式,而垄作则促进了黑土SOC和TN的积累,这不仅有利于土壤肥力的改善,而且是使农田黑土由CO2"源"变为"汇"的有效形式之一。与玉米-大豆轮作相比,玉米连作下三种耕作方式都有利于SOC和TN积累。     

Changes in soil organic carbon in a mountainous French region, 1990–2004

This paper reports spatial and temporal changes at the regional level in soil organic carbon (SOC) using a soil-test database. A total of 23 329 SOC test values recorded between 1990 and 2004 by certified commercial laboratories and collected in a mountainous French region (Franche-Comté) were integrated in a database. Results show a strong trend in organic carbon content, mainly related to elevation. A large loss in SOC was observed over the survey period. This loss correlated with baseline SOC content with greater loss from soils with higher carbon content. This loss is likely to be due to both changes in land use from permanent grassland to cultivation and to an increase in temperature during the survey period. Our study demonstrates that past soil-test results which were not originally intended for monitoring can provide an alternative method for detecting changes in SOC.     

基于一种逆建模方法的法国土壤碳输入量估算研究

Development of a quantitative understanding of soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics is vital for management of soil to sequester carbon (C) and maintain fertility, thereby contributing to food security and climate change mitigation. There are well-established process-based models that can be used to simulate SOC stock evolution; however, there are few plant residue C input values and those that exist represent a limited range of environments. This limitation in a fundamental model component (i.e., C input) constrains the reliability of current SOC stock simulations. This study aimed to estimate crop-specific and environment-specific plant-derived soil C input values for agricultural sites in France based on data from 700 sites selected from a recently established French soil monitoring network (the RMQS database). Measured SOC stock values from this large scale soil database were used to constrain an inverse RothC modelling approach to derive estimated C input values consistent with the stocks. This approach allowed us to estimate significant crop-specific C input values (P < 0.05) for 14 out of 17 crop types in the range from 1.84 ± 0.69 t C ha^-1 year^-1 (silage corn) to 5.15 ± 0.12 t C ha^-1 year^-1 (grassland/pasture). Furthermore, the incorporation of climate variables improved the predictions. C input of 4 crop types could be predicted as a function of temperature and 8 as a function of precipitation. This study offered an approach to meet the urgent need for crop-specific and environment-specific C input values in order to improve the reliability of SOC stock prediction.     

温度和植物残体对紫色母岩发育的水稻土有机碳矿化的影响

培养试验研究了2种温度下紫色水稻土有机碳的矿化特征以及添加不同植物残体对其矿化的影响。结果表明, 62d的培养过程中,有机碳累积矿化量在28℃条件下为C 66.79 mg/g;40℃条件下为C 86.99 mg/g,差异达到极显著水平。用一级动力学方程对植物残体的矿化速率进行拟合表明,28℃条件下,植物残体的分解速率常数（k）为蚕豆秸秆玉米秸秆水稻秸秆,而40℃条件下则为水稻秸秆玉米秸秆蚕豆秸秆。温度状况和植物残体化学组分的差异影响了紫色水稻土中有机碳的动态变化,最终导致了碳累积矿化量的差异。     

Dynamic economic management of soil erosion,nutrient depletion,and productivity in the north central USA

Physical scientists have presented a wealth of evidence regarding the effects of cropland soil degradation. Because soil degradation has both on‐site and off‐site effects, public policies have often tried to increase rates of conservation over privately optimal rates. Where private incentives leave off and public incentives start up is somewhat controversial, however. Physical evidence, while necessary, is not sufficient to predict conservation actions by farmers in response to the threat of degradation. This paper provides a partial explanation for why farmers may adopt differing conservation strategies, even though they share similar preferences. A model is constructed that divides soil degradation into reversible and irreversible components. We portray nutrient depletion as a reversible facet of soil degradation and soil profile depth depletion as an irreversible facet of soil degradation. Predictions of optimal management response to soil degradation are accomplished using a closed‐loop model of fertilizer applications and residue management to control future stocks of soil nutrients and soil profile depth. Our model is applied to degradation data from nine soils in the north central United States. Three principal findings result: First, due to differences in initial soil properties, susceptibility to degradation, sensitivity of yield to soil depth, and yield response to alternative management practices, dynamically optimal economic strategies cannot be inferred directly from physical results but are inferred from the associated economic implications. Second, optimal residue management is more variable with respect to soil type than to the erosion phase of the soil, implying that substantial gains to targeting are possible. Third, nutrient depletion is a more compelling motivator for adopting residue management than soil profile depth depletion. This implies that motivating residue management requires programs that pay even greater attention to reversible degradation, and therefore the overall farm management implications, rather than strictly to protect topsoil from irreversible degradation. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Long term crop management effects on soil organic carbon,structure, and water retention in a cropland soil in central Ohio,USA

The objective of this study was to determine 13‐year management effects on soil properties between a corn–soybean (Zea mays–Glycine max) cropping system (CSRS) and vegetable production systems (VPS) on a soil in central Ohio. Three treatments included in the VPS were: (1) addition of wood chips, (2) permanent raised beds (PRB) with black polyethylene film (20 μm thick), and (3) bare soil surface (BSS). Additionally, (4) animal manure was applied in all CSRS and VPS treatments except for the wood chips (WCP) added plot in the VPS. Research data from the study show that relatively more soil organic carbon (SOC) stock in the 0–20 cm soil depth of the BSS treatment (100.6 Mg ha^?1) was primarily due to differences in the type of soil amendments applied. For example, composted poultry manure was applied in the BSS and PRB plots, compared with input of fresh dairy manure mixed with straw being applied in the CSRS. Furthermore, soil management practices that aided in avoiding or reducing soil compaction (i.e., PRB or application of WCP in the surface) resulted in the overall improvement in soil structure and water retention, compared with that under chisel and disc ploughing done in the CSRS. The highest plant available water capacity (1.79 cm) was observed in the CSRS compared with 0.97 cm under BSS and PRB plots. These trends suggest that the type and amount of animal manure is critical to increasing SOC stocks in intensively cultivated VPS and CSRS in central Ohio, while also improving soil structure and water retention.     

耕作方式和秸秆还田对砂姜黑土碳库及玉米小麦产量的影响

长期秸秆还田免耕覆盖措施导致沿淮区域砂姜黑土耕层变浅、下表层(10～30 cm)容重增加、土壤养分不均衡等问题凸显,限制了小麦-玉米周年生产力的提高。耕作和秸秆还田措施合理的搭配组合是解决这一问题的有效方法。通过8年的小麦-玉米一年两熟田间试验,设置4个处理:1)玉米季免耕-小麦季免耕秸秆不还田(N);2)玉米季深耕-小麦季深耕秸秆不还田(D);3)玉米季秸秆免耕覆盖还田+小麦秸秆免耕覆盖还田(NS);4)玉米季秸秆免耕覆盖还田+小麦季秸秆深耕还田(DS)。通过分析作物收获后不同土壤深度(0～60 cm)总有机碳(TOC)、颗粒态碳(POC)、微生物生物量碳(MBC)、易氧化态碳(KMnO4-C)、可溶性有机碳(DOC)和土壤碳库管理指数(CPMI),并结合小麦-玉米的周年产量变化,以期获得培肥砂姜黑土的最佳模式。研究结果表明:1)相对于长期免耕措施(N),DS处理能够提高0～30 cm土层TOC、POC、MBC、KMnO4-C等组分含量和CPMI;而NS措施仅提高土壤表层(0～10 cm)TOC、活性有机碳组分含量和CPMI;2)DS处理显著提升了小麦-玉米的周年生产力,其麦玉的周年产量均值分别比N、D和NS处理高出14.7%、12.9%和8.5%;3)MBC和KMnO4-C对于耕作和秸秆还田措施都是较为敏感指示因子。总的来说,玉米季小麦秸秆覆盖还田+小麦季玉米秸秆深耕还田(DS)是改善沿淮地区砂姜黑土土壤碳库、提高小麦-玉米周年产量的一种有效农田管理模式。     

Effect of crop residue incorporation on soil organic carbon and greenhouse gas emissions in European agricultural soils

Soil organic matter (SOM) improves soil physicochemical and biological properties, and the sequestration of carbon in SOM may mitigate climate change. Soil organic carbon (SOC) often decreases in intensive cropping systems. Incorporation of crop residues (CR) may be a sustainable management practice to maintain the SOC levels and to increase soil fertility. This study quantifies the effects of CR incorporation on SOC and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (CO₂ and N₂O) in Europe using data from long‐term experiments. Response ratios (RRs) for SOC and GHG emissions were calculated between CR incorporation and removal. The influence of environmental zones (ENZs), clay content and experiment duration on the RRs was investigated. We also studied how RRs of SOC and crop yields were correlated. A total of 475 RRs were derived from 39 publications. The SOC increased by 7% following CR incorporation. In contrast, in a subsample of cases, CO₂ emissions were six times and N₂O emissions 12 times higher following CR incorporation. The ENZ had no significant influence on RRs. For SOC concentration, soils with a clay content >35% showed 8% higher RRs compared with soils with clay contents between 18 and 35%. As the experiment progressed, RR for SOC concentration increased. For N₂O emissions, RR was significantly greater in experiments with a duration <5 yr compared with 11–20 yr. No significant correlations were found between RR for SOC concentration and yields, but differences between sites and study durations were detected. We suggest that a long duration of crop residue incorporation is a win‐win scenario under a continental climate. We conclude that CR incorporation is important for maintaining SOC, but its influence on GHG emissions should be taken into account as well.     

Assessing the effect of crop residue removal on soil organic carbon storage and microbial activity in a no‐till cropping system

Changes in agricultural management strategies have received much attention in recent years with a view to increasing or maintaining the amount of carbon (C) sequestered as soil organic C (SOC). In many parts of the world, minimum or no‐till management has been promoted as a means of improving soil quality, reducing losses of erosion and potentially increasing SOC stocks. However, no‐till systems can become problematic and potentially disease‐prone, especially due to high crop residue loadings. Consequently, residue removal either by harvesting or burning off may be employed to reduce these pressures. Here, we examined the effect of crop residue removal on C storage in soil that had been under no‐till management for 20 yr. We predicted improved physical properties (i.e. lower bulk density) and greater microbial activity under the residue retention soils due to greater readily available C and nutrients derived from crop residues. In contrast, we predicted relative reductions in SOC in the no residue soils due to a lack of available residue‐derived C for microbial use. Residue removal caused a relative C loss from the soil, which was related to C input, amount of nutrient availability and microbial activity. We demonstrate the importance of maintaining crop residue cover in no‐till cropping systems for soil function and highlight the potentially deleterious effects of changing management strategy to increased residue harvesting or removal by burning.     

长期施肥下黑土活性有机质和碳库管理指数研究

基于东北黑土长期定位试验,研究不同施肥措施对黑土活性有机质及其碳库管理指数的影响。结果表明:在不同施肥措施的影响下土壤有机质得到了不同程度的提高。撂荒处理(CK0)土壤有机质较初始值提高了35.62%;单施化肥处理有机质提高最小,为10%~15%;其次为秸秆还田处理提高了20%;有机肥和化肥配施处理土壤有机质提高效果最显著,为66.38%~92.13%。黑土活性有机质分布规律为高活性有机质、中活性有机质、低活性有机质分别占有机质含量的3.80%~10.28%、1.59%~12.32%、8.71%~27.45%。以撂荒处理为参考土壤,有机肥和化肥配施处理高活性有机质、中活性有机质碳库管理指数高于参考土壤;氮磷钾肥配施处理(NPK)高活性有机质及其高活性有机质碳库管理指数与参考土壤较为接近;单施氮肥处理(N)、施用氮肥和磷肥处理(NP)、施用氮肥和钾肥处理(NK)、施用磷肥和钾肥处理(PK)高活性有机质、中活性有机质及总活性有机质碳库管理指数均低于参考土壤。采用有机肥无机肥配施对提高黑土活性有机质含量,提高土壤碳库管理指数具有比较好的效果。     

小麦-玉米-大豆轮作下黑土农田土壤呼吸与碳平衡

农田生态系统是陆地生态系统的重要组成部分,探讨农田生态系统的土壤呼吸与碳平衡对于科学评价陆地生态系统在全球变化下的源汇效应具有重要意义。基于中国科学院海伦农业生态实验站的长期定位试验,对不同施肥处理下黑土小麦-玉米-大豆轮作体系2005—2007年的作物固碳量与土壤CO2排放通量进行了观测,并对该轮作体系下黑土农田生态系统的碳平衡状况进行了估算。结果表明:在小麦-玉米-大豆轮作体系中,作物固碳量的高低表现为:玉米>大豆>小麦,平均值分别为6 513 kg(C).hm-2、4 025 kg(C).hm-2和3 655kg(C).hm-2。从作物生长季土壤CO2排放总量来看,3种作物以大豆农田生态系统的土壤CO2排放总量最高,平均值达4 062 kg(C).hm-2;其次为玉米,为3 813 kg(C).hm-2;而小麦最低,为2 326 kg(C).hm-2。3种作物轮作下NEP(净生态系统生产力)均为正值,表明黑土农田土壤-作物系统为大气CO2的"汇",不同作物系统的碳汇强度表现为玉米>小麦>大豆,三者的平均值分别为3 215 kg(C).hm-2、1 643 kg(C).hm-2和512 kg(C).hm-2。长期均衡施用氮、磷、钾化肥或氮、磷、钾化肥配施有机肥后,小麦、玉米和大豆农田生态系统的固碳量和土壤CO2排放总量均明显增加,并在氮、磷、钾配施有机肥处理下达到最高。不同的施肥管理措施将改变土壤-植物系统作为大气CO2"汇"的程度,总体表现为化肥均衡施用下NEP值较高,而化肥与有机肥配施下农田生态系统的NEP值较低。     

基于最大似然法与矩法的黄土高原小流域土壤碳氮空间变异分析

以黄土高原寺底沟小流域为研究对象,根据不同土地利用方式采集46个样点的土壤样品,通过地统计方法对土壤有机碳和全氮的空间变异特征进行了分析。采用受限最大似然法(REML)和矩法(MOM)两种方法分别对变异函数进行了估计,通过交叉检验选择克里金预测效果较好的变异函数进行地统计插值。(1)与矩法(MOM)相比,在多数情况下受限最大似然法(REML)估计的变异函数进行克里金插值更加准确。(2)土层深度对土壤全氮空间变异影响较小,对土壤有机碳影响较大,表层土壤有机碳含量及变异程度明显高于下层土壤。(3)土地利用方式对土壤有机碳和全氮的空间分布有重要影响,灌木林和天然草地土壤有机碳和全氮水平最高,弃耕地其次,梯田、果园、人工草地最低,表明退耕还林对提高土壤碳氮水平有重要贡献。     

Degradability of black carbon and its impact on trace gas fluxes and carbon turnover in paddy soils

Rice paddy soils are characterized by anoxic conditions, anaerobic carbon turnover, and significant emissions of the greenhouse gas methane. A main source for soil organic matter in paddy fields is the rice crop residue that is returned to fields if not burned. We investigated as an alternative treatment the amendment of rice paddies with rice residues that have been charred to black carbon. This treatment might avoid various negative side effects of traditional rice residue treatments. Although charred biomass is seen as almost recalcitrant, its impact on trace gas (CO₂, CH₄) production and emissions in paddy fields has not been studied. We quantified the degradation of black carbon produced from rice husks in four wetland soils in laboratory incubations. In two of the studied soils the addition of carbonised rice husks resulted in a transient increase in carbon mineralisation rates in comparison to control soils without organic matter addition. After almost three years, between 4.4% and 8.5% of the black carbon added was mineralised to CO₂ under aerobic and anaerobic conditions, respectively. The addition of untreated rice husks resulted in a strong increase in carbon mineralisation rates and in the same time period 77%-100% of the added rice husks were mineralised aerobically and 31%-54% anaerobically. The ¹³C-signatures of respired CO₂ gave a direct indication of black carbon mineralisation to CO_2. In field trials we quantified the impact of rice husk black carbon or untreated rice husks on soil respiration and methane emissions. The application of black carbon had no significant effect on soil respiration but significantly enhanced methane emissions in the first rice crop season. The additional methane released accounted for only 0.14% of black carbon added. If the same amount of organic carbon was added as untreated rice husks, 34% of the applied carbon was released as CO₂ and methane in the first season. Furthermore, the addition of fresh harvest residues to paddy fields resulted in a disproportionally high increase in methane emissions. Estimating the carbon budget of the different rice crop residue treatments indicated that charring of rice residues and adding the obtained black carbon to paddy fields instead of incorporating untreated harvest residues may reduce field methane emissions by as much as 80%. Hence, the production of black carbon from rice harvest residues could be a powerful strategy for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions from rice fields.     

Effects of reduced tillage,crop residue management and manure application practices on crop yields and soil carbon sequestration on an Andisol in northern Japan

Abstract

Soil carbon sequestration in agricultural lands has been deemed a sustainable option to mitigate rising atmospheric CO₂ levels. In this context, the effects of different tillage and C input management (residue management and manure application) practices on crop yields, residue C and annual changes in total soil organic C (SOC) (0–30 cm depth) were investigated over one cycle of a 4-year crop rotation (2003–2006) on a cropped Andisol in northern Japan. For tillage practices, the effects of reduced tillage (no deep plowing, a single shallow harrowing for seedbed preparation [RT]) and conventional deep moldboard plow tillage (CT) were compared. The combination of RT, residue return and manure application (20 Mg ha^?1 in each year) increased spring wheat and potato yields significantly; however, soybean and sugar beet yields were not influenced by tillage practices. For all crops studied, manure application enhanced the production of above-ground residue C. Thus, manure application served not only as a direct input of C to the soil, but the greater crop biomass production engendered enhanced subsequent C inputs to the soil from residues. The SOC contents in both the 0–5 cm and 5–10 cm layers of the soil profile were greater under RT than under CT treatments because the crop residue and manure were densely incorporated into the shallow soil layers. Comparatively, neither tillage nor C input management practices had significant effects on annual changes in SOC content in either the 10–20 cm or 20–30 cm layers of the soil profile. When soil C sequestration rates, as represented by annual changes in total SOC (0–30 cm), were assessed on a total soil mass basis, an anova showed that tillage practices had no significant effect on total C sequestration, but C input management practices had significant positive effects (P ≤ 0.05). These results indicate that continuous C input to the soil through crop residue return and manure application is a crucial practice for enhancing crop yields and soil C sequestration in the Andisol region of northern Japan.     

秸秆还田对吉林黑土区土壤有机碳、氮的影响

秸秆是农业生产的重要有机肥来源之一,研究其还田过程中土壤有机碳、氮的变化,对了解土壤质量的改变具有重要意义。2011年5～9月作物生长期间,对黑土区不同秸秆全部还田、秸秆全部还田+化肥(C:N=1:10)、秸秆全部还田+化肥(C:N=1:20)后,土壤有机碳、氮的变化研究结果显示,与秸秆未还田(对照)相比,秸秆全部还田(C1.0)条件下土壤pH与土壤湿度略有降低,其他指标则相应增加;含有秸秆的处理中,土壤有机碳、pH、土壤呼吸强度、土壤温度变化趋势均为C1.0>C/N10>C/N20。土壤呼吸强度、土壤温度、湿度变化随着时间呈下降趋势。主成分分析显示,秸秆还田有利于改善土壤有机碳、全氮以及C/N等。     

Afforestation effects on soil carbon stocks of low productivity grassland in New Zealand

Soil carbon stock change between two major land uses in New Zealand was measured by sampling paired plots across the boundaries of low productivity grassland and forest planted pre‐1990. The national soil carbon monitoring system uses low productivity grassland as a benchmark to evaluate soil carbon stock change for other land uses. The goal was to validate earlier estimates of the effect of pre‐1990 afforestation and to reduce their level of uncertainty. We selected a set of sites to represent the national stocks of forests planted pre‐1990. Previous studies derived estimates of the land‐use effect on soil carbon for afforestation ranging from +1.6 to ?8.5 t/ha to 30 cm depth. For all estimates, the 95% confidence interval spanned zero. Our study used nine of the previous paired‐plot sites and sampled and analysed 21 new sites. The land‐use effect of change from grassland to forest planted pre‐1990 was estimated at ?17.4 t/ha. The 95% confidence interval ranged from ?10.1 to ?24.6 t/ha and did not include zero change. The result supported the soil carbon monitoring system assumption that forests planted pre‐1990 have significantly lower soil carbon stocks than the low‐productivity‐grassland standard. Evidence of stock change occurred in depth increments to 0.2 m but with no significant change for the 0.2–0.3 m increment. This suggests that the sampling depth of 0.3 m was adequate for the estimation of soil carbon stock change.