Unveiling the Transformative Effects of Forest Restoration on the Soil Chemistry and Biology of Sandy Soils in Southern Nyírség, Hungary

István Attila Kocsis (), Magdolna Tállai, Ágnes Zsuposné Oláh, Zoltán László, Béla Mokos, Ida Kincses, Evelin Kármen Juhász, Daniel A. Lowy and Zsolt Sándor
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István Attila Kocsis: Institute of Agricultural Chemistry and Soil Science, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences and Environmental Management, University of Debrecen, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary
Magdolna Tállai: Institute of Agricultural Chemistry and Soil Science, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences and Environmental Management, University of Debrecen, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary
Ágnes Zsuposné Oláh: Institute of Agricultural Chemistry and Soil Science, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences and Environmental Management, University of Debrecen, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary
Zoltán László: Institute of Agricultural Chemistry and Soil Science, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences and Environmental Management, University of Debrecen, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary
Béla Mokos: Institute of Agricultural Chemistry and Soil Science, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences and Environmental Management, University of Debrecen, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary
Ida Kincses: Institute of Agricultural Chemistry and Soil Science, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences and Environmental Management, University of Debrecen, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary
Evelin Kármen Juhász: Institute of Agricultural Chemistry and Soil Science, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences and Environmental Management, University of Debrecen, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary
Daniel A. Lowy: Department of Economics, Finance and Accounting, Keleti Károly Faculty for Business and Management, Óbuda University, H-1084 Budapest, Hungary
Zsolt Sándor: Institute of Agricultural Chemistry and Soil Science, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences and Environmental Management, University of Debrecen, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary

Agriculture, 2025, vol. 15, issue 10, 1-18

Abstract: Protecting humankind’s natural resources and soils, including forestry, represents a top priority in agriculture. Addressing climate change should prioritize preserving and enhancing organic carbon, specifically humus, in soils. In this paper, we examine the impact of soil preparation on soil humus and microbial life during the reforestation of Southern Nyírség, Hungary. We determined soil plasticity, pH in distilled water solution, the quantity and quality of humus content, the total number of bacteria and microbial fungi, as well as CO 2 production. In addition to stump removal and plowing, the wealthiest layer of organic matter was detached from the surface. A significant decrease in humus content (HU%) was observed at the five experimental sites (loss of 19.20–40.14 HU% at 0–30 cm depth). Soil organic matter is concentrated in the stump depositions. According to the results, the quantity of humus content is strongly correlated with the measured parameters of soil life, specifically with the number of microbial fungi (r = 0.806 **) and the total number of bacteria (r = 0.648 **). Another correlation (r = 0.607 **) was assessed between the humus content and CO 2 production. This study helps to understand the importance of the no-tillage methods used in reforestation.

Keywords: soil fertility; soil properties; reforestation; humus content; microbial fungi; soil bacteria (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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