Soil Carbon Sequestration Following Natural Vegetation Recovery on Abandoned European Lands: Review and Research Needs

作者：Mohammad Tahsin Karimi Nezhad, Domagoj Gajski, Clara G. Jeanroy, Peter H. Verburg, Giorgio Alberti, Pavel Šamonil · 发表于：European Journal of Soil Science · 年份：2026 · DOI：10.1111/ejss.70333 · 被引用次数：1 · 研究领域：Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics、Agroforestry and silvopastoral systems、Land Use and Ecosystem Services

ABSTRACT Natural vegetation recovery of abandoned agricultural lands could play a significant role in combating climate change by enhancing carbon (C) sequestration over time in a passive and cost‐effective manner. After agricultural land is abandoned, natural regeneration processes, such as the regrowth of tree cover and increased microbial activity, typically restore soil organic carbon (SOC) sinks, thereby capturing atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO 2 ). However, understanding its contribution to CO 2 removal, particularly, on a large, continental scale, remains limited. In this systematic review, we aimed to gather studies investigating soil C sequestration following the abandonment of agricultural activities across Europe. By conducting an integrative analysis of data from 36 studies focusing on natural vegetation recovery after agricultural abandonment, we assessed the relative changes in SOC over time in relation to various environmental factors. Our findings revealed that SOC dynamics are influenced by management, soil reference group, exposition (aspect), and forest type, with remarkable increases found in Mediterranean regions, certain soil groups (Regosols, Cambisols, Calcisols), cropland‐converted broadleaf and mixed forests, and specific aspects (North, South, and South‐West facing sites). However, the results were strongly influenced by the uneven geographical and altitudinal distribution of study sites, which varied in terms of previous land use management, signif...