Legacy of medieval ridge and furrow cultivation on soil organic carbon distribution and stocks in forests

Land management history can influence soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks over centuries. In this study, the impact of medieval ridge and furrow cropland management on SOC in forests was assessed. Continuous clockwise ploughing in rectangular fields moved topsoil from the outer part of strip-shaped fields towards the centre, thus forming a corrugated microtopography with peripheral furrows and central ridges. This tillage technique led to the...