*Article* **Soil Organic Carbon Accumulation in Post-Agricultural Soils under the Influence Birch Stands**

#### **Tomasz Gaw ˛eda 1,\*, Ewa Bło ´nska 2 and Stanisław Małek 3**


Received: 7 July 2019; Accepted: 4 August 2019; Published: 8 August 2019

**Abstract:** The aim of this study was to demonstrate the effects birch renewal on the soil organic carbon accumulation and on dehydrogenase activity. We selected 12 research plots with birch stands of different ages (1–4 years, 5–8 years, 9–12 years, and 13–17 years) to determine soil texture, pH, total carbon and nitrogen levels, and base cation content. The total organic carbon stock was calculated for the soil profiles. Additionally, dehydrogenase activity was determined. Naturally regenerated birch stands on post-agricultural land facilitated carbon accumulation. Based on our results, dehydrogenase activity is useful in assessing the condition of post-agricultural soils, and its determination allowed for us to assess the processes occurring in post-agricultural soils that are associated with the formation and carbon distribution.

**Keywords:** afforestation; birch stands; carbon stock; dehydrogenase activity
