Gains and losses in C and N stocks of New Zealand pasture soils depend on land use

▶ We resampled 83 soil profiles under pasture about 20 years apart. ▶ Dairy pasture on flat land lost 0.73 Mg C ha−1 y−1 in top 30 cm. ▶ In contrast, soil C did not change in flat land pasture grazed by drystock. ▶ Hill country pasture grazed by drystock gained 0.52 Mg C ha−1 y−1 in top 30 cm. ▶ Changes in soil N followed changes in soil C.