## 1 Introduction  
The Paris Agreement, adopted at the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP21), provides signatories with a legal framework and serves as a collective global response to the pressing challenges presented by climate change and its associated environmental stressors. Since 2015, policymakers and environmental researchers have shown significant interest in determining the potential of soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration as a possible climate change mitigation tool [1, 2]. The subject of SOC sequestration is not only important from scientific, socio-economic, and political perspectives but also in practical terms as a means of achieving ambitious net zero targets. The importance of soils in this context comes from the pedosphere's role as the main reservoir of continental organic carbon (2500 Pg of C to 2 m depth), which is twice that of the atmosphere [3, 4]. There are several factors that can affect the capacity of organic carbon sequestration in soils. These include the physicochemical properties of the soils themselves; the relative composition of organic material as determined by the predominant vegetation type in the region [5]; climatic factors, such as precipitation and potential evapotranspiration [6]; and topographical variables (such as slope and terrain exposure) [7]. Additionally, the land use type and agricultural management practices are among the most influential determinants of SOC [8; 9], and several studies have found that the agricultural intensity (low versus high) and prevailing farming practices (tillage versus non-tillage, crop rotation, and agroforestry) will result in some farm soils losing less SOC than others [10; 11; 12; 13]. Conclusive examples in this respect are the traditional cultural landscapes which show high potential for SOC retention [14]. This potential mainly comes from the way that they are managed by the local communities (i.e., being farmed using traditional, low-intensity practices that avoid deep ploughing and the application of artificial fertilizers and pesticides), but also from their multivalent structure and functions. Generally, traditional cultural landscapes across Europe operate as low-intensity systems with unique characteristics, such as (i) a slow rate of change caused by traditional farming methods [15]; (ii) reduced soil nutrient losses due to extensive waste recycling [16]; and (iii) a highly developed ecological knowledge system among local communities regarding sustainable farming [17]. Despite their value, these landscapes are facing two major threats that are common to many other agricultural landscapes around the world: (a) land abandonment and (b) agricultural intensification leading to deep ploughing and the application of artificial pesticides and fertilizers [18; 19]. The traditional cultural landscapes of Transylvania, Romania, recognized for their rich biodiversity and great cultural heritage [19], offer a unique model of how low-intensity agricultural systems may contribute to significant carbon sequestration. In the broader context of global climate change, these landscapes could serve as valuable carbon storage pools. Yet, in the scientific literature, there is a paucity of data exploring their potential contribution to climate change mitigation. Given their distinctive characteristics and general resilience against the pressures of modern farming, targeted research is crucial to fully understand the role of these types of landscapes in carbon sequestration and to develop strategies for enhancing their climate mitigation potential. This study aims to further our understanding of the driving factors affecting SOC in order to facilitate decision-making on the best strategies for reducing carbon input into the atmosphere. Specifically, we examine how the land use type, soil class, and soil depth influence SOC dynamics.