Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Fig. 12.3
Succession Carbon Change Index (SCCI) in the three bioclimates, indicating SOC
stock variation between the various stages of secondary succession. Abbreviations:
CU
cultivated
areas,
HE
herb-dominated plant communities,
PG
perennial grasslands,
GS
garrigues and low
shrublands,
MA
maquis,
NF
natural forests,
AF
artificial afforestations;
Thermo
thermo-mediter-
ranean,
Meso
meso-mediterranean,
Supra
supra-mediterranean bioclimate
we observed a very high gain in SOC stock in afforested soils with respect to cul-
tivated soils (Fig.
12.4
). On the contrary, maquis and natural forests showed higher
SOC stocks than afforested sites.
In the meso-mediterranean bioclimate, SOC content gain by artificial affores-
tation was observed only with respect to cultivated soils, and it was, in addition,
quite low, while all other secondary succession stages showed higher SOC stocks
than the afforested sites.
Also in the supra-mediterranean bioclimate SOC stock gain by artificial affor-
estation was found only with respect to cultivated soils. The carbon change index
between artificial afforestation and cultivated soils was higher in supra- than in
meso-mediterranean conditions.
