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The dynamics of the soil organic carbon pool and soil fertility were studied in soils with different number of growing years of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) in the semiarid Loess Plateau of China. The soil water content and soil water potential decreased and the depth of desiccated layers grew with the number of growing years of alfalfa. The soil organic C (SOC) cannot be enhanced on short timescales in these unfertilized and mowed-alfalfa grasslands in the topsoil, but the light fraction of organic C (LFOC), soil microbial biomass C (MBC) and microbial biomass N (MBN) all increased with the number of growing years. When alfalfa had been growing for more than 13 yr, the soil MBC increased slowly, suggesting that the MBC value is likely to reach a constant level. SOC, soil total P (STP), available P (Avail?) and the ratio of SOC to soil total N (C/N) all decreased monotonically with the growing years of alfalfa up to 13 yr and then increased. SOC was significantly positively correlated with STP, Avail?, soil total C (STC) and soil total N (STN) (R = 0.627**, 0.691**, 0.497*, 0.546*, respectively). MBC and LFOC were significantly positively correlated with the number of growing years of alfalfa (R = 0.873*** and 0.521*, respectively), and LFOC was more sensitive to vegetation components, degree of cover and landform than to the number of years of growth. SOC showed a significant negative correlation with LFOC/SOC and MBC/SOC (R = -0.689**, -0.693**, respectively). A significant positive correlation exists between MBC and soil inorganic C (SIC). LFOC, MBC, LFOC/SOC and MBC/SOC were all significantly positively correlated with each other. Therefore, practices that involve water-harvesting technologies and add residues and phosphate fertilizer to soils should be promoted to improve soil nutrients and hydration and to postpone the degradation of alfalfa grasslands under long-term alfalfa production. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.