What question did this study set out to answer?

This research aims to assess the carbon reserves in gray forest soils affected by various land use types.

April 4, 2026

Assessment of Carbon Reserves in Gray Forest Soils under Different Types of Land Use

VBV. R. BabichukKazan Federal University NDN. V. DanilovaKazan Federal University AGA. S. GordeevKazan Federal University

Key Points

This research aims to assess the carbon reserves in gray forest soils affected by various land use types.
Analyzed different land use types including plowed, mowed with and without phytomass removal, and fallow land.
Used spectrophotometry, real-time PCR, and gas chromatography to measure carbon levels.
Measured total organic carbon, soluble organic carbon, and microbial biomass in different soil layers.
Plowed lands had the lowest reserves of total organic carbon at 189.67 t/ha.
Mowed lands without phytomass removal had the highest reserves at 322.49 t/ha.
Carbon reserves were most concentrated in the upper 50-cm layer of soil.

Abstract

The research was conducted to study carbon reserves in soil layers under different types of land use. The study object was represented by gray residual carbonate forest soils of the Republic of Tatarstan. The work was carried out on plots with different types of land use: plowed land (PL), mowed land with the removal of phytomass (M), mowed land without the removal of phytomass (MP), and fallow land (F). The analysis was performed by the methods of spectrophotometry, real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR-RT), and gas chromatography, which enabled us to determine the content of total organic carbon (Corg), soluble organic carbon (SOC), carbon of microbial biomass (Cmic), and the number of bacteria in soil horizons. Plowed lands were characterized by the minimal in the experiment Corg reserves in the 1-m-thick layer: 189.67 ± 10.44 t/ha due to intensive tillage and organic matter mineralization. The differences for fallow lands and the mowed plot with the phytomass removal were insignificant: the Corg reserves amounted to 255.03 ± 21.35 and 287.14 ± 28.01 t/ha, respectively. The maximal reserves were recorded on the mowed plot without the removal of phytomass: 322.49 ± 19.4 t/ha, which indicated the high role of plant residues in the accumulation of organic compounds. Most carbon reserves were concentrated in the upper 50-cm-thick layer: 52–78% for Corg, 40–59% for SOC, and 47–63% for Cmic. The content of SOC and Cmic changed more quickly under the influence of external factors in contrast to more stable soil organic matter. The studied samples could be arranged in the following sequence by the reserves of carbon fractions: M < F < PL < MP for SOC and MP < PL < F < M for Cmic. The main part of Cmic is concentrated in the upper horizons, where the processes of organic matter decomposition are active. Regular mowing with the remaining phytomass on the soil surface provides the greatest potential for accumulation of both total and soluble organic carbon.

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