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In arid and semiarid Mediterranean areas, Pinus halepensis Mill. is one of the dominant forest species and is widely used in restoration programmes. We collected samples and investigated the understory plant species in an age sequence of 0-, 5-, 9-, and 13-year-old P. halepensis plantations to assess the effect of the tree on soil properties and development of plant community. Soil samples were taken from two depths (010 and 10-30 cm) under tree canopy and in the associated open spaces. Results showed that tree establishment and development enhanced organic C, total N, and available P accumulation, and improved soil moisture content which increased significantly with increasing plantation age. At the same time, P. halepensis facilitated the colonization and development of understory vegetation. Indeed, the number of plant species, the total plant cover, and the perennial species density were more important under tree canopy and increased with increasing plantation age. The soil dynamic under 13-year-old 11 halepensis plantations reflected two phase restoration sequence, characterized by nominal changes during tree establishment (0-5 years) and marked and rapid changes associated with the start of canopy closure (5-13 years). Our results provide that the introduction of P. halepensis with afforestation could be an effective and applicable measure to restore arid degraded areas. Copyright (C) 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.