Vegetation biomass
resulting from aboveground leaf litter and belowground roots is the main
source of organic matter input into the soil, which can change with vegetation
type (Laganiere et al., 2010). In the study area, the higher root mass
density and turnover of surface grassland soils may explain their higher
SOC accumulation within a short restoration time, as compared to shrub
and forest soils (Rasse et al., 2005