Overview
This research aims to assess changes in soil carbon during the first 20 years of woodland establishment.
The project takes advantage of a unique opportunity to survey Woodland Carbon Code (WCC) sites to track soil changes following the conversion of land to forestry. These WCC sites represent a variety of treescapes, including different tree species and mixtures, which are not well represented in existing soil monitoring networks. These include small farm woodlands, agroforestry, silvopastoral systems, and shelterbelts.
There is a gap in knowledge about soil carbon changes during the early stages of woodland establishment. The WCC sites offer the advantage of paired comparison with the original land use, allowing a direct comparison of soil conditions before and after tree planting meaning a single soil survey can capture these early-stage changes. Therefore a single soil survey can capture these early-stage changes.
This research will provide valuable baseline data for modelling soil carbon changes in young woodlands, complementing existing data on mature trees. It will help project future changes in soil carbon across different woodland settings and soil types, informing policy initiatives and supporting UK goals such as Net Zero and the 25-Year Environmental Plan.
This project is part of the Nature for Climate Fund.
Research objectives
The project aims to address 4 specific research questions:
- How do soil carbon stocks and stability change during the first 20 years of woodland establishment?
- How do changes in soil carbon stocks and stability in early-stage woodlands compare to those in mature woodlands?
- How do different tree species and mixtures, as well as various soil organic and mineral types, affect changes in soil carbon stocks and stability, considering climatic and nitrogen deposition gradients?
- How do soil nitrogen stocks and acidity change with the afforestation of different tree species?
Latest updates
Soil samples have been collected from nearly 150 WCC sites, covering various tree species and mixtures. Analyses have already been conducted for total organic carbon, inorganic carbon, labile carbon, soil pH, and total nitrogen. A soil database has been created, and the data is currently undergoing checking and quality control in preparation for statistical analysis.
