Soil carbon and nutrient stocks under Scots pine plantations in comparison to European beech forests: a paired-plot study across forests with different management history and precipitation regimes

Forest Ecosystems

Table 1 Location and characteristics of the nine study sites

Site	Location	Forest type	Latitude (°N)	Longitude (°E)	Age (year)	Forest continuity	MAP (mm)	MAT (°C)	Basal area (m²∙ha⁻¹)	Stem density (n∙ha^− 1)	Size of forest stand (ha)
1	Weichel	Be	53.13	9.39	144	ancient	779	9.7	35.5	159	32.4
1	Weichel	Pi	53.28	9.23	68	ancient	823	9.5	26.0	475	12.5
2	Ewige Route	Be	53.12	10.89	134	ancient	725	9.2	31.9	281	40.7
2	Ewige Route	Pi	53.08	10.82	66	ancient	712	9.2	23.6	288	13.3
3	Lüssberg	Be	52.83	10.33	195	ancient	805	9.0	23.6	139	29.2
3	Lüssberg	Pi	52.84	10.33	66–68	recent	801	9.1	26.7	375	14.2
4	Süsing	Be	53.10	10.36	139	ancient	771	9.3	37.9	299	66.6
4	Süsing	Pi	53.09	10.28	58–69	recent	794	9.2	27.2	552	22.5
5	Kaarzer Holz	Be	53.67	11.73	112	ancient	657	9.2	21.6	202	11.2
5	Kaarzer Holz	Pi	53.66	11.73	60–74	recent	654	9.2	29.7	535	13.3
6	Eggesiner Forst	Be	53.71	14.13	95–115	ancient	578	9.2	22.1	266	18.3
6	Eggesiner Forst	Pi	53.72	14.10	62	ancient	569	9.1	23.4	429	23.4
7	Ueckermünder Heide	Be	53.57	14.27	147–152	ancient	577	9.1	31.9	156	21.0
7	Ueckermünder Heide	Pi	53.59	14.26	62	ancient	564	9.2	31.0	731	25.8
8	Authausener Wald	Be	51.64	12.74	166	ancient	653	9.6	21.6	347	18.8
8	Authausener Wald	Pi	51.62	12.71	55	ancient	644	9.7	26.2	572	18.7
9	Weißhaus	Be	51.63	13.45	146	ancient	617	9.6	31.3	127	15.4
9	Weißhaus	Pi	51.63	13.47	62	ancient	623	9.5	25.4	628	15.5

Each study site is presented by a pair of beech (Be) and pine stands (Pi). Given are stand age, forest continuity, mean annual precipitation (MAP), mean annual temperature (MAT), stand basal area, stem density, and stand area. Forest stands were classified as “ancient” for > 200 years of forest continuity, and “recent” for < 150 years of continuity