biostudies-literatureUnknown4Deng LLand-use change is widely considered to be a major factor affecting soil carbon (C) sequestration (ΔCs). This paper studied changes to soil C stocks (Cs) following the conversion of farmland to forest, shrub and grassland across the key area for implementing China's "Grain for Green"--the Loess Plateau. The results are based on a synthesis of 44 recent publications (including 424 observations at 70 sites) which has allowed us to further refine our understanding of the mechanisms driving the increase in Cs following farmland conversion. This synthesis suggests that the ΔCs potential of the Loess Plateau could reach 0.59 Tg yr(-1) based on an estimated annual average ΔCs rate of 0.29 Mg ha(-1) yr(-1). In the region's different rainfall zones both the main contributing factors and Cs dynamicsScientific reports7039https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC4229669biostudies-literature"Grain for Green" driven land use change and carbon sequestration on the Loess Plateau, China.PMC4229669Sweeney SDeng LShangguan ZPfalse"Grain for Green" driven land use change and carbon sequestration on the Loess Plateau, China.Land-use change is widely considered to be a major factor affecting soil carbon (C) sequestration (ΔCs). This paper studied changes to soil C stocks (Cs) following the conversion of farmland to forest, shrub and grassland across the key area for implementing China's "Grain for Green"--the Loess Plateau. The results are based on a synthesis of 44 recent publications (including 424 observations at 70 sites) which has allowed us to further refine our understanding of the mechanisms driving the increase in Cs following farmland conversion. This synthesis suggests that the ΔCs potential of the Loess Plateau could reach 0.59 Tg yr(-1) based on an estimated annual average ΔCs rate of 0.29 Mg ha(-1) yr(-1). In the region's different rainfall zones both the main contributing factors and Cs dynamics2014-01-01T00:00:00Z2014 Nov2025-04-05T00:22:16.596Z2019-03-27T01:39:28ZS-EPMC42296692539121910.1038/srep07039