13C and 15N isotope ratios in Leptosols of thicket ecosystems in South Africa

- Intact thicket (IT) comprised diverse C3 canopy trees, woody and succulent shrubs.
- IT soils showed residue of plant tissue which alternated between C3 and Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM).
- The degraded thicket comprised C3 shrubs while its soil showed residue of plant tissue with CAM metabolism.
- The grassland had C4 grasses as was its soil showing little variation over time.
- Overally, IT had more soil and above-ground biomass carbon, compared with DT.