Relationships between 137Cs and soil carbon in artificial forests: results from the mountain areas of North China

In order to investigate the relationship between 137 Cs and soil total carbon (TC) in artificial forests, a study was conducted on Platycladus orientalis forest (PO), Quercus variabilis forest (QV), and abandoned land slope. Results demonstrated that both PO and QV have higher levels of 137 Cs and lower TC stocks compared to the abandoned land slope. There is a significant correlation between 137 Cs and TC in artificial forests, suggesting that 137 Cs can be used as a reliable tracer for TC migration in afforestation areas. However, it is not recommended to use 137 Cs for estimating TC in abandoned land slopes.