WHAT THE EVIDENCE SAYS
In a land-cover comparison, SOC concentrations were 18.26 g/kg in farmland, 42.81 g/kg in mature forest and 23.84 g/kg in a Pinus massoniana plantation. Root nutrient indicators and microbial enzyme activity were correlated with the differences.
WHY IT MATTERS / OUR READ
Canopy establishment alone does not measure soil recovery; biogeochemical processes and land history matter.
CAVEATS / UNCERTAINTY
Nonrandomized site comparison cannot establish restoration causation or quantify total soil carbon stocks or sequestration rates. Accepted manuscript, not final formatted.
SOURCE
Frontiers in Plant Science — Gao et al. (accepted 30 Oct 2026)
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