Soil carbon and nitrogen stocks and the quality of soil organic matter under silvopastoral systems in the Brazilian Cerrado

•Conversion of degraded pastures into silvopastoral systems increase soil C and N stocks.•Soil C content was protected in subsurface and in the more stable fractions of SOM.•Integrated production systems increased soil Cmic and decreased soil CO2 emissions. This study investigated soil carbon and nitrogen stocks and quality of soil organic matter in an Eutric Haplic Cambisol four years after the conversion of degraded pastures into silvopastoral systems in the Brazilian Cerrado. The integrated production systems were composed of marandu grass (Urochloa brizanta) and Eucalyptus cloeziana or Eucalyptus urograndis. These systems were compared with areas of regenerating stratum and native vegetation of the Cerrado biome. A randomized statistical design was used, and soil chemical and biological attributes and soil CO2 efflux were evaluated (p