How do land use and land cover changes after farmland abandonment affect soil properties and soil nutrients in Mediterranean mountain agroecosystems?

Mediterranean mountains are sensitive agroecosystems that have suffered intense land use and cover changes (LULCC) during the last century. From middle of twentieth century, most cultivated lands in were abandoned, allowing recovery vegetation (through natural revegetation afforestation programmes). To examine effects farmland abandonment, secondary succession (natural revegetation) afforestation, an intensive soil sampling was carried out Araguás catchment (Central Spanish Pyrenees) including sparsely vegetated areas (badlands), grasslands, shrublands afforested sites. LULCC mapped, physico-chemical properties analysed reference sites (unaltered centuries) different uses. Likewise, organic carbon (SOC) content bulk soils fractions separated by density fractionation been studied. This study evidenced abandonment led to a mosaic landscape with covers. Results show significantly affect (soil texture, stoniness, pH, SOC, total carbon, CorgN ratio, field capacity). Significant differences observed between following abandonment. Afforestation triggered higher SOC than shrubland (1.4 1.1% respectively), suggesting slower process matter accumulation after compared afforestation. The significant role grassland for enhancing has also confirmed. results showed relative contribution each fraction SOC: amount labile (free occluded fractions) is (58.1 51.2% respectively) (36.8%). Understanding on dynamics essential when planning post-land management practices