In the context of the specificity of soil organic carbon (SOC) storage in afforested land, nutrient-poor Arenosols and nutrient-rich Luvisols after afforestation with coniferous and deciduous tree species were studied in comparison to the same soils of croplands and grasslands. This study analysed the changes in SOC stock up to 30 years after afforestation of agricultural land in Lithuania, representing the cool temperate moist climate region of Europe. The SOC stocks were evaluated by applying the paired-site design. The mean mass and SOC stocks of the forest floor in afforested Arenosols increased more than in Luvisols. Almost twice as much forest floor mass was observed in coniferous than in deciduous stands 2–3 decades after afforestation. The mean bulk density of fine (<2 mm) soil in the 0–30 cm mineral topsoil layer of croplands was higher than in afforested sites and grasslands. The clear decreasing trend in mean bulk density due to forest stand age with the lowest values in the 21–30-year-old stands was found in afforested Luvisols. In contrast, the SOC concentrations in the 0–30 cm mineral topsoil layer, especially in Luvisols afforested with coniferous species, showed an increasing trend due to the influence of stand age. The mean SOC values in the 0–30 cm mineral topsoil layer of Arenosols and Luvisols during the 30 years after afforestation did not significantly differ from the adjacent croplands or grasslands. The mean SOC stock slightly increased with the forest stand age in Luvisols; however, the highest mean SOC stock was detected in the grasslands. In the Arenosols, there was higher SOC accumulation in the forest floor with increasing stand age than in the Luvisols, while the proportion of SOC stocks in mineral topsoil layers was similar and more comparable to grasslands. These findings suggest encouragement of afforestation of former agricultural land under the current climate and soil characteristics in the region, but the conversion of perennial grasslands to forest land should be done with caution.

Three decades ago, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) indicated climate change as a potentially major threat to the environment with a driving goal to stabilize greenhouse gas (GHG) concentrations in the atmosphere (UNFCCC, 1998). Thus, national GHG inventories were developed according to the internationally accepted methodologies. Among the major challenges persisting in Europe, the regulation of emissions from energy and transport sectors, as well as the assessment of carbon (C) sequestration in terrestrial forest and non-forest ecosystems, including soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks, remains very important (Ellison et al., 2011;IPCC, 2007). The IPCC Report on Climate Change and Land (IPCC, 2019) highlighted that increased SOC content is one of the most cost-effective options for climate change adaptation and mitigation.Soils are the largest and main long-term stock of terrestrial SOC in the biosphere (FAO, 2017;Palosuo et al., 2016). Total SOC stocks are about twice as those in the atmosphere, and almost three times higher than in plant biomass (Guggenberger, 2010). C sequestration in plant biomass

The influence of soil preparation on the development of ground vegetation during the establishment of forest plantations was studied. It was found that in the first-year plantations on former farmland the least biomass of ground vegetation develops on furrows. Complete soil tillage to the depth of 22-27 cm, ploughed in berms or elimination of weeds with Roundup Bio may reduce the biomass of ground vegetation by up to two times. Soil ploughing in berms or piles always reduced the mass of weeds.In the second year of plantations' growth, differences in the biomass of weeds among different soil preparation treatments decreased. On fresh clear-cut areas of fertile mineral soils any mechanical method of soil preparation reduced the biomass of ground vegetation. With increasing soil preparation depth (down to 40 cm) and the width of the strip (up to 100 cm), the biomass of ground vegetation decreased. The least (4-9 times less compared with unprepared soil) ground vegetation biomass was observed when the soil had been prepared in furrows, berms or piles. Soil preparation method affected also the height of ground vegetation. It depended on soil fertility and moisture content, weed species, spring and summer weather conditions. The shading class of seedlings and the volume of plantation tending depended on soil preparation method too. Seedlings planted on wide (100 cm) furrows and on 30 cm high piles were the least shaded, while those growing on unprepared, completely ploughed soil or on inverted humus mounds experienced the greatest suppression.

This study performed a pilot evaluation of the wood quality—defined by a single parameter: dynamic modulus of elasticity (MOEdyn, N mm−2)—of small-leaved lime (Tilia cordata Mill.) trees in urban areas. A search of the literature revealed few studies which examined the specifics of tree wood development in urban areas. Little is known about the potential of wood from urban trees wood of their suitability for the timber industry. In this study, an acoustic velocity measuring system was used for wood quality assessment of small-leaved lime trees. The MOEdyn parameter was evaluated for small-leaved lime trees growing in two urban locations (along the streets, and in an urban park), with an additional sample of forest sites taken as the control. MOEdyn was also assessed for small-leaved lime trees visually assigned to different health classes. The obtained mean values of MOEdyn of 90–120-year old small-leaved lime trees in urban areas ranged between 2492.2 and 2715.8 N mm−2. For younger trees, the values of MOEdyn were lower in the urban areas than in the forest site. Otherwise, the results of the study showed that the small-leaved lime wood samples were of relatively good quality, even if the tree was classified as moderately damaged (which could cause a potential risk to the community). Two alternatives for urban tree management can be envisaged: (1) old trees could be left to grow to maintain the sustainability of an urban area until their natural death, or (2) the wood from selected moderately damaged trees could be used to create wood products, ensuring long-term carbon retention.