ABSTRACT
This chapter aims to identify research and development priorities with regard to soil carbon (C) dynamics in forest soils. Afforestation on agricultural soils can enhance the C pool in soil. The rate of soil C sequestration, however, is site-specific and needs to be determined in relation to soil type, the quantity and quality of the biomass returned to the soil, and the humification efficiency depending on climate, moisture, and temperature regimes. The baseline information on soil C pool and fluxes is important for developing a strategy for international negotiation and for sustainable management of forest resources. The potential of C sequestration in forest soils needs to be addressed both for soil organic carbon and for soil inorganic carbon. Assessing the magnitude, fluxes, and components of the soil C pool is a pioneering field of research. Impact of management practices on pool and fluxes of C in forest soils are not known and need to be determined.
