Soil in natural conditions are in steady state in the environment. However, inadequate management can cause degradation mainly in the organic matter fraction, impiring the sustainability of agricultural systems. This experiment was conducted for 6 consecutive years in a Hapludalf (Red Yellow Podzolic Soil), at the experimental area of Soil Science Department UFSM. The objective was to evaluate the effects of plant successions on the carbon dynamic. The plant successions used were common vetch (Vicia sativa)/corn (Zea mays), blue lupine (Lupinus angustifolius)/corn, field peas (Pisum arvense)/corn, black oat (Avena strigosa)/corn and winter fallow/corn, associated to two nitrogen doses (0 and 80 kg ha-1) applied to corn. The soil was managed by the no-tillage system, and evaluations were made on the levels of C on the cover crops, of their surface residues and at three soil depths. Based on the results, it was found that the amount of carbon added through the different plant species, depended upon the amount of dry matter production and its tissue elemental concentration. Significative differences in total carbon were only observed at the superficial layer (0-2.5 cm).
organic carbon; no-tillage system; cover crop; winter cover; corn