Soil organic carbon (SOC) is the largest carbon pool in terrestrial ecosystems, which plays an important role in climate change by regulating atmospheric carbon dioxide. Sweden’s forest management has led to a decrease in old growth forests. This change in land use can affect SOC levels in these forests. This report quantified SOC stocks among different wetness classes in 10 old growth forests across multiple regional environmental gradients in Sweden. I tested for the effects of some different environmental factors on SOC: temperature, precipitation, altitude, stem basal area, latitude, and normalized difference vegetation index. Soil measurements were taken from three different horizons: the O-, E-, and B-horizon. The results showed that the mean SOC stock in old growth forests (5.25 ± 0.60 kg m-2)  is a bit higher than the regional average (4.1 ± 0.5 kg m-2) and that local variation within forests, mainly due to hydrology, appears to drive variation that is often as big or larger than regional variations. There were no significant differences between the different forests, but there were significant differences found between the different wetness classes. There were several correlations found between the different regional environmental factors and SOC stocks. The most prominent relationship was a positive link between the O-horizons’ SOC stocks and temperature (R2adj = 0.58). Overall, these results indicate that SOC stocks in old growth forests are affected by both soil wetness at a local scale and air temperature at a regional scale; and that they might contain a slightly larger amount of SOC than managed forests.

Orientador: Rafael Montanari / Resumo: A qualidade do solo não é algo que se pode medir diretamente, no entanto, pode ser avaliada pelos atributos que caracterizam seu estado físico, químico e biológico. A escolha de atributos mais relevantes e a interpretação das medidas obtidas não é algo simples, devido aos efeitos da mudança de uso da terra e as interações entre eles e as condições climáticas e serviços ecossistêmicos de cada região. O objetivo desse estudo foi fornecer uma visão geral de alguns indicadores de qualidade física e química do solo no contexto de restauração de pastagens do Cerrado Brasileiro. A tese é disposta em capítulos, compondo além das considerações gerais apresentadas no Capítulo 1, os Capítulos 2 e 3, que são estudos científicos de avaliação da qualidade física e química do solo. Os experimentos foram desenvolvidos no município de Selvíria – MS em duas áreas destinadas à pecuária extensiva de corte, subsidiadas pela planta forrageira Urochloa brizantha cv. Marandu. Malhas experimentais de 2,7 e 1,4 hectares, com 70 e 65 pontos, respectivamente, foram instaladas nas áreas e amostras de solo de estrutura deformada e indeformada foram tomadas para avaliação dos atributos físicos e químicos. Também se avaliou os estoques de carbono orgânico total, suas frações granulométricas e a emissão de CO2 nas áreas, visando enxergar os efeitos da reforma sob o aporte de carbono e as emissões de gases de efeito estufa. Em uma das áreas avaliou-se a curva de retenção de água do solo e índice S em todos os... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Soil quality is not something that can be directly measured; however, it can be assessed by the attributes that characterize its physical, chemical and biological state. The choice of more relevant attributes and the interpretation of the measures obtained is not a simple matter, due to the effects of land use change and the interactions between them, the climatic conditions and ecosystem services of each region. The aim of this study was to provide an overview of some indicators of physical and chemical quality of the soil in the context of pasture restoration in the Brazilian Cerrado. The thesis is laid out in chapters, composing in addition to the general considerations presented in Chapter 1, Chapters 2 and 3, which are scientific studies to assess the physical and chemical quality of the soil. The experiments were carried out in the municipality of Selvíria – MS in two areas for extensive beef cattle, subsidized by the forage plant Urochloa brizantha cv. Marandu. Experimental meshes of 2.7 and 1.4 hectares, with 70 and 65 points, respectively, were installed in the areas and soil samples of deformed and undeformed structure were taken to assess the physical and chemical attributes. The total organic carbon stocks, their particle size fractions and the CO2 emission in the areas were also evaluated, aiming to see the effects of the reform under the carbon input and the greenhouse gas emissions. In one of the areas, the soil water retention curve and S index were evaluated ... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Doutor