Details
| Originalsprache | Englisch |
|---|---|
| Aufsatznummer | e70646 |
| Fachzeitschrift | Global change biology |
| Jahrgang | 31 |
| Ausgabenummer | 12 |
| Publikationsstatus | Veröffentlicht - 8 Dez. 2025 |
Abstract
Stabilized soil organic carbon (SOC) accrual plays a crucial role in long-term atmospheric CO2 sequestration. The organic carbon in the fine silt and clay size fraction (OCfine) is typically mineral-associated and thus relatively stable. However, the SOC saturation concept suggests that the OCfine has limited capacity for additional carbon (C) storage, thereby constraining further C sequestration. Low-OC and fine-textured soils are thought to have greater potential to stabilize additional OC than High-OC and coarse-textured soils due to their higher available storage space. Here, we assessed soils' potential to stabilize additional OC using 21 temperate agricultural soils, varying in SOC (0.7%–10.2%), silt + clay content (32%–92%), and OC loading of fine fraction (17–135 g C kg−1). We investigated the decomposition and recovery of uniform 13C labeled litter after 2 years in two size-based fractions: OCcoarse (> 20 μm, the OC associated with coarse silt and sand) and OCfine (< 20 μm). Litter-derived OC retention increased significantly with initial SOC content and fine fraction OC loading, primarily driven by the OCcoarse fraction, which indicated that less added C was utilized by microbes when enough C was already abundant. In contrast, litter-derived OCfine formation was negatively correlated with initial SOC and fine fraction OC loading. However, when normalized to the amount of actually decomposed litter, initial SOC and texture did not significantly affect the efficiency of OCfine formation. NanoSIMS showed litter-derived OC forming at distinct microscale patches, partly overlapping with OM- and mineral-dominated sites. Both findings together revealed that initial SOC content in the studied range, OC loading of the fine fraction, or even soil texture may not be major limiting factors of new OCfine formation. Instead, increasing initial SOC content appeared to have a positive effect on litter-derived OC retention by retarding its mineralization.
ASJC Scopus Sachgebiete
- Umweltwissenschaften (insg.)
- Globaler Wandel
- Umweltwissenschaften (insg.)
- Umweltchemie
- Umweltwissenschaften (insg.)
- Ökologie
- Umweltwissenschaften (insg.)
- Allgemeine Umweltwissenschaft
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in: Global change biology, Jahrgang 31, Nr. 12, e70646, 08.12.2025.
Publikation: Beitrag in Fachzeitschrift › Artikel › Forschung › Peer-Review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Increased Retention of Litter-Derived Organic Carbon With Increasing Initial Carbon Content in Temperate Agricultural Soils
AU - Begill, Neha
AU - Schweizer, Steffen A.
AU - Don, Axel
AU - Hoeschen, Carmen
AU - Schiedung, Marcus
AU - Guggenberger, Georg
AU - Poeplau, Christopher
N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2025 The Author(s). Global Change Biology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
PY - 2025/12/8
Y1 - 2025/12/8
N2 - Stabilized soil organic carbon (SOC) accrual plays a crucial role in long-term atmospheric CO2 sequestration. The organic carbon in the fine silt and clay size fraction (OCfine) is typically mineral-associated and thus relatively stable. However, the SOC saturation concept suggests that the OCfine has limited capacity for additional carbon (C) storage, thereby constraining further C sequestration. Low-OC and fine-textured soils are thought to have greater potential to stabilize additional OC than High-OC and coarse-textured soils due to their higher available storage space. Here, we assessed soils' potential to stabilize additional OC using 21 temperate agricultural soils, varying in SOC (0.7%–10.2%), silt + clay content (32%–92%), and OC loading of fine fraction (17–135 g C kg−1). We investigated the decomposition and recovery of uniform 13C labeled litter after 2 years in two size-based fractions: OCcoarse (> 20 μm, the OC associated with coarse silt and sand) and OCfine (< 20 μm). Litter-derived OC retention increased significantly with initial SOC content and fine fraction OC loading, primarily driven by the OCcoarse fraction, which indicated that less added C was utilized by microbes when enough C was already abundant. In contrast, litter-derived OCfine formation was negatively correlated with initial SOC and fine fraction OC loading. However, when normalized to the amount of actually decomposed litter, initial SOC and texture did not significantly affect the efficiency of OCfine formation. NanoSIMS showed litter-derived OC forming at distinct microscale patches, partly overlapping with OM- and mineral-dominated sites. Both findings together revealed that initial SOC content in the studied range, OC loading of the fine fraction, or even soil texture may not be major limiting factors of new OCfine formation. Instead, increasing initial SOC content appeared to have a positive effect on litter-derived OC retention by retarding its mineralization.
AB - Stabilized soil organic carbon (SOC) accrual plays a crucial role in long-term atmospheric CO2 sequestration. The organic carbon in the fine silt and clay size fraction (OCfine) is typically mineral-associated and thus relatively stable. However, the SOC saturation concept suggests that the OCfine has limited capacity for additional carbon (C) storage, thereby constraining further C sequestration. Low-OC and fine-textured soils are thought to have greater potential to stabilize additional OC than High-OC and coarse-textured soils due to their higher available storage space. Here, we assessed soils' potential to stabilize additional OC using 21 temperate agricultural soils, varying in SOC (0.7%–10.2%), silt + clay content (32%–92%), and OC loading of fine fraction (17–135 g C kg−1). We investigated the decomposition and recovery of uniform 13C labeled litter after 2 years in two size-based fractions: OCcoarse (> 20 μm, the OC associated with coarse silt and sand) and OCfine (< 20 μm). Litter-derived OC retention increased significantly with initial SOC content and fine fraction OC loading, primarily driven by the OCcoarse fraction, which indicated that less added C was utilized by microbes when enough C was already abundant. In contrast, litter-derived OCfine formation was negatively correlated with initial SOC and fine fraction OC loading. However, when normalized to the amount of actually decomposed litter, initial SOC and texture did not significantly affect the efficiency of OCfine formation. NanoSIMS showed litter-derived OC forming at distinct microscale patches, partly overlapping with OM- and mineral-dominated sites. Both findings together revealed that initial SOC content in the studied range, OC loading of the fine fraction, or even soil texture may not be major limiting factors of new OCfine formation. Instead, increasing initial SOC content appeared to have a positive effect on litter-derived OC retention by retarding its mineralization.
KW - C labeling
KW - incubation
KW - mineral-associated organic carbon
KW - particle size fractionation
KW - saturation deficit
KW - SOC loading
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=105024133871&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/gcb.70646
DO - 10.1111/gcb.70646
M3 - Article
C2 - 41355724
AN - SCOPUS:105024133871
VL - 31
JO - Global change biology
JF - Global change biology
SN - 1354-1013
IS - 12
M1 - e70646
ER -