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Histosols cover about 8–10% of Lithuania's territory and most of this area is covered with nutrient-rich organic soils (Terric Histosols). Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from drained Histosols contribute more than 25% of emissions from the Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF) sector. In this study, as the first step of examining the carbon dioxide (CO2) fluxes in these soils, total soil CO2 efflux and several environmental parameters (temperature of air and topsoil, soil chemical composition, soil moisture, and water table level) were measured in drained Terric Histosols under three native forest stands and perennial grasslands in the growing seasons of 2020 and 2021. The drained nutrient-rich organic soils differed in terms of concentrations of soil organic carbon and total nitrogen, as well as soil organic carbon and total nitrogen ratio. The highest rate of total soil CO2 efflux was found in the summer months. Overall, the rate was statistically significant and strongly correlated only with soil and air temperature. A trend emerged that total soil CO2 efflux was 30% higher in perennial grassland than in forested land. Additional work is still needed to estimate the net CO2 balance of these soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To help solve the actual problem of global climate warming, it is important to comprehensively study soil organic carbon (SOC), soil fungi, and other parameters at different depths in the soil. This study was aimed at investigating the chemical and microbiological parameters and their interactions at various soil depths (0–5 to 195–200 cm) in an Arenosol in a Scots pine stand in southwestern Lithuania, with a focus on the main groups of fungi and their influence on SOC. The highest diversity of soil fungi species was found at a depth of 50–55 cm. Saprotrophs were dominant at all investigated soil depths. Ectomycorrhizal fungi were mostly abundant at depths of up to 50–55 cm. The C:N ratio gradually decreased down to 50–55 cm, then increased in deeper soil layers (from 50–55 to 195–200 cm). This means that the most active mineralization processes occur at depths of between 0 and 55 cm. Carbon stabilization processes occur at depths of 100–105 to 195–200 cm, and most of this carbon does not enter the atmosphere nor contribute to the process of climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effective management of soil organic carbon (SOC) is highlighted as one of the strategies and cost-effective options for mitigating climate change, while soil nitrogen (N) often is specified as an essential element for plant growth. This study was conducted to evaluate basic soil physical, chemical, and microbial indicators in three major soil types dominated in Lithuania—Arenosols, Retisols, and Cambisols—under forest land, perennial grassland, and arable land. Furthermore, soil microbial biomass carbon (SMBC) and nitrogen (SMBN), their ratio, and soil microbial respiration (microbial CO2) next to SOC and total N were hypothesized to be important measures for assessing SOC stability under different land uses. Therefore, selected soil indicators were evaluated in the surface 0–10 and 10–20 cm mineral soil layers. The study results showed higher concentrations of SOC, N, SMBC, and SMBN, and soil microbial CO2 in forest land and perennial grasslands than in arable land. The higher SMBC/SOC and SNBN/TN ratios indicated a higher ability to accumulate SOC and N in forest land and grasslands. Higher SOC immobilization in forest land and higher N immobilization in arable land were both specified by the obtained SMBC:SMBN ratio. This study identified forest land followed by grassland as the best land management practice that addresses soil C sequestration through higher C immobilisation. Assessing soil in forest land as a control land use next to the agricultural land could be a reasonable soil management practice to evaluate C sequestration in the region. Additionally, it was assumed that evaluation of the SMBC and SMBN concentrations together with soil physical and chemical indicators allow for a more effective assessment of SOC stability. Taken together, these findings support recommendation to develop grassland (and especially forest land systems) through afforestation or within agroforestry system, without reducing the importance of the agricultural sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous studies have confirmed that forests have the potential for a significant contribution to carbon sequestration, but afforestation of former agricultural land can be attempted to adopt technologies that further encourage carbon sequestration. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of different soil cultivation methods, including deep ploughing and soil cultivation by making microsites and furrows prior to afforestation of former agricultural land, on chemical soil properties and tree growth in 20 years old Scots pine plantations. A naturally regenerated Scots pine stand, representing the non-ploughed soil, was included as a control site. Deep ploughing, among other soil cultivation methods, significantly altered the chemical soil properties. Furthermore, significant effects were indicated in the sites afforested after cultivation by making furrows. A recent study found that, due to deep soil cultivation, higher stocks of soil organic carbon (SOC) and total nitrogen (N) were incorporated into deeper soil layers and were protected from direct environmental impact. Twenty years post afforestation in deeply ploughed sites, we still found a decreased C:N ratio and disbalanced relationship between the concentrations of SOC and total N. The SOC and total N stocks were higher in the subsoil than in the topsoil in the sites afforested after deep ploughing. Moreover, deep ploughing and soil cultivation by furrows prior to afforestation resulted in higher total SOC and total N stocks in the forest floor and mineral 0–80 cm soil layer. A higher total phosphorus (P) concentration in the subsoil and total potassium (K) in the upper mineral soil layer were obtained in the deep ploughing sites and the sites, cultivated by furrows, compared to the non-ploughed sites. Significantly higher total P stock per entire profile was found for the deep ploughing sites and the sites cultivated by furrows than in the naturally regenerated stand. Different soil cultivation methods caused no differences in tree diameter at breast height (DBH) in 20 years old Scots pine stands both in the afforested sites and in the naturally regenerated forest. However, significantly larger tree height in all afforested sites than in the naturally regenerated Scots pine stands was obtained. A lower differentiation in tree DBH was obtained in the deep ploughing sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of the specificity of soil organic carbon (SOC) storage in afforested land, nutrient-poor Arenosols and nutrient-rich Luvisols after afforestation with coniferous and deciduous tree species were studied in comparison to the same soils of croplands and grasslands. This study analysed the changes in SOC stock up to 30 years after afforestation of agricultural land in Lithuania, representing the cool temperate moist climate region of Europe. The SOC stocks were evaluated by applying the paired-site design. The mean mass and SOC stocks of the forest floor in afforested Arenosols increased more than in Luvisols. Almost twice as much forest floor mass was observed in coniferous than in deciduous stands 2–3 decades after afforestation. The mean bulk density of fine (<2 mm) soil in the 0–30 cm mineral topsoil layer of croplands was higher than in afforested sites and grasslands. The clear decreasing trend in mean bulk density due to forest stand age with the lowest values in the 21–30-year-old stands was found in afforested Luvisols. In contrast, the SOC concentrations in the 0–30 cm mineral topsoil layer, especially in Luvisols afforested with coniferous species, showed an increasing trend due to the influence of stand age. The mean SOC values in the 0–30 cm mineral topsoil layer of Arenosols and Luvisols during the 30 years after afforestation did not significantly differ from the adjacent croplands or grasslands. The mean SOC stock slightly increased with the forest stand age in Luvisols; however, the highest mean SOC stock was detected in the grasslands. In the Arenosols, there was higher SOC accumulation in the forest floor with increasing stand age than in the Luvisols, while the proportion of SOC stocks in mineral topsoil layers was similar and more comparable to grasslands. These findings suggest encouragement of afforestation of former agricultural land under the current climate and soil characteristics in the region, but the conversion of perennial grasslands to forest land should be done with caution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forests are the dominant land cover in Nordic–Baltic countries, and forestry, the management of forests for improved ecosystem-service (ES) delivery, is an important contributor to sustainability. Forests and forestry support multiple United Nations Sustainability Goals (UN SDGs) and a number of EU policies, and can address conflicting environmental goals. Forests provide multiple ecosystem services and natural solutions, including wood and fibre production, food, clear and clean water and air, animal and plant habitats, soil formation, aesthetics, and cultural and social services. Carbon sequestered by growing trees is a key factor in the envisaged transition from a fossil-based to a biobased economy. Here, we highlight the possibilities of forest-based solutions to mitigate current and emerging societal challenges. We discuss forestry effects on forest ecosystems, focusing on the optimisation of ES delivery and the fulfilment of UN SDGs while counteracting unwanted effects. In particular, we highlight the trilemma of (i) increasing wood production to substitute raw fossil materials, (ii) increasing forest carbon storage capacity, and (iii) improving forest biodiversity and other ES delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Birch sap is colourless or slightly opalescent and is traditionally drunk in spring. Currently, birch sap is becoming more important in the market sector as well as to pharmacy companies due to its biochemical composition and use in a wide variety of products. To extract good quality sap using birch resources in a sustainable way, there is a need to investigate the influence of the dendrometric parameters of birch trees and soil properties on the quantity and chemical composition of birch sap. This study is performed in five silver birch (Betula pendula Roth) forest stands growing in Histosol, Luvisol and Arenosol with different moisture and nutrient contents. The results indicated that the most productive silver birch trees for sap harvesting were taller than 28 m, had a diameter at breast height over 40 cm and a crown base height greater than 19 m. Additionally, the highest quantity of birch sap was harvested from trees growing in well-aerated mineral soils (Arenosol and Luvisol) with normal moisture content. However, the sweetest birch sap was harvested from trees growing in nutrient-rich organic (undrained peatland Histosol) and temporarily flooded mineral (Luvisol) soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]