Modeling Calcite’s Sensitivity to Biogenic CO2Production: A Pathway to Soil CO2Efflux Partitioning

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Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)23869-23882
Number of pages14
JournalEnvironmental Science and Technology
Volume59
Issue number44
Early online date30 Oct 2025
Publication statusPublished - 11 Nov 2025

Abstract

Soil inorganic carbon (SIC), primarily calcite, represents a potentially reactive carbon reservoir, influencing soil–atmosphere CO2exchange and acid–base buffering processes. Though often considered stable, SIC is sensitive to biogenic CO2and acidification, risking extra CO2emissions beyond soil organic matter (SOM) mineralization. This study investigates SIC reactivity using δ13C-enriched calcite (11.9 t ha–1, +102.02‰) under organic residue decomposition, examining the effects of residue type (maize vs wheat), degradability (leaves vs roots), and placement (mixing vs mulching). Incubations at 25 °C with 80% soil–water saturation coupled high-resolution pH optodes and HYDRUS-PHREEQC simulations to quantify SIC reactivity. Mixed applications of labile maize leaves (C:N = 17.3) intensified topsoil (∼50% of the 10 cm column) acid loading (pH 7.9 → 5.7), promoting decarbonation and deepening acidification front (>3.2 cm). Soil respiration emerged as a key influencer of CO2pressures, controlling porewater acid carrying capacity. Dissolution promoters (H2O, H+, and H2CO3) drove topsoil decarbonation (0.84 t C ha–1in mixed profiles vs 0.06 t C ha–1in mulched) and subsoil (5–10 cm) bicarbonate accrual. δ13C tracing showed SIC-sourced CO2peaks (+25 to +51‰, 40–60% contribution) during incubation’s first quarter (∼day 16–24) prior to SOM-domination (0 to −12‰, 20–10%), reflecting a mixed continuum of CO2sources, SC turnover, and climate feedbacks.

Keywords

    bicarbonate export, biogenic CO, carbonate reactivity, inorganic CO, optode technology, reactive transport modeling, residue decomposition, soil inorganic carbon, δC tracing

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Sustainable Development Goals

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Modeling Calcite’s Sensitivity to Biogenic CO2Production: A Pathway to Soil CO2Efflux Partitioning. / Tetteh, Kenneth; Guggenberger, Georg; Sauheitl, Leopold et al.
In: Environmental Science and Technology, Vol. 59, No. 44, 11.11.2025, p. 23869-23882.

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title = "Modeling Calcite{\textquoteright}s Sensitivity to Biogenic CO2Production: A Pathway to Soil CO2Efflux Partitioning",
abstract = "Soil inorganic carbon (SIC), primarily calcite, represents a potentially reactive carbon reservoir, influencing soil–atmosphere CO2exchange and acid–base buffering processes. Though often considered stable, SIC is sensitive to biogenic CO2and acidification, risking extra CO2emissions beyond soil organic matter (SOM) mineralization. This study investigates SIC reactivity using δ13C-enriched calcite (11.9 t ha–1, +102.02‰) under organic residue decomposition, examining the effects of residue type (maize vs wheat), degradability (leaves vs roots), and placement (mixing vs mulching). Incubations at 25 °C with 80% soil–water saturation coupled high-resolution pH optodes and HYDRUS-PHREEQC simulations to quantify SIC reactivity. Mixed applications of labile maize leaves (C:N = 17.3) intensified topsoil (∼50% of the 10 cm column) acid loading (pH 7.9 → 5.7), promoting decarbonation and deepening acidification front (>3.2 cm). Soil respiration emerged as a key influencer of CO2pressures, controlling porewater acid carrying capacity. Dissolution promoters (H2O, H+, and H2CO3) drove topsoil decarbonation (0.84 t C ha–1in mixed profiles vs 0.06 t C ha–1in mulched) and subsoil (5–10 cm) bicarbonate accrual. δ13C tracing showed SIC-sourced CO2peaks (+25 to +51‰, 40–60% contribution) during incubation{\textquoteright}s first quarter (∼day 16–24) prior to SOM-domination (0 to −12‰, 20–10%), reflecting a mixed continuum of CO2sources, SC turnover, and climate feedbacks.",
keywords = "bicarbonate export, biogenic CO, carbonate reactivity, inorganic CO, optode technology, reactive transport modeling, residue decomposition, soil inorganic carbon, δC tracing",
author = "Kenneth Tetteh and Georg Guggenberger and Leopold Sauheitl and Kazem Zamanian",
note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2025 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society",
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month = nov,
day = "11",
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volume = "59",
pages = "23869--23882",
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TY - JOUR

T1 - Modeling Calcite’s Sensitivity to Biogenic CO2Production

T2 - A Pathway to Soil CO2Efflux Partitioning

AU - Tetteh, Kenneth

AU - Guggenberger, Georg

AU - Sauheitl, Leopold

AU - Zamanian, Kazem

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2025 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society

PY - 2025/11/11

Y1 - 2025/11/11

N2 - Soil inorganic carbon (SIC), primarily calcite, represents a potentially reactive carbon reservoir, influencing soil–atmosphere CO2exchange and acid–base buffering processes. Though often considered stable, SIC is sensitive to biogenic CO2and acidification, risking extra CO2emissions beyond soil organic matter (SOM) mineralization. This study investigates SIC reactivity using δ13C-enriched calcite (11.9 t ha–1, +102.02‰) under organic residue decomposition, examining the effects of residue type (maize vs wheat), degradability (leaves vs roots), and placement (mixing vs mulching). Incubations at 25 °C with 80% soil–water saturation coupled high-resolution pH optodes and HYDRUS-PHREEQC simulations to quantify SIC reactivity. Mixed applications of labile maize leaves (C:N = 17.3) intensified topsoil (∼50% of the 10 cm column) acid loading (pH 7.9 → 5.7), promoting decarbonation and deepening acidification front (>3.2 cm). Soil respiration emerged as a key influencer of CO2pressures, controlling porewater acid carrying capacity. Dissolution promoters (H2O, H+, and H2CO3) drove topsoil decarbonation (0.84 t C ha–1in mixed profiles vs 0.06 t C ha–1in mulched) and subsoil (5–10 cm) bicarbonate accrual. δ13C tracing showed SIC-sourced CO2peaks (+25 to +51‰, 40–60% contribution) during incubation’s first quarter (∼day 16–24) prior to SOM-domination (0 to −12‰, 20–10%), reflecting a mixed continuum of CO2sources, SC turnover, and climate feedbacks.

AB - Soil inorganic carbon (SIC), primarily calcite, represents a potentially reactive carbon reservoir, influencing soil–atmosphere CO2exchange and acid–base buffering processes. Though often considered stable, SIC is sensitive to biogenic CO2and acidification, risking extra CO2emissions beyond soil organic matter (SOM) mineralization. This study investigates SIC reactivity using δ13C-enriched calcite (11.9 t ha–1, +102.02‰) under organic residue decomposition, examining the effects of residue type (maize vs wheat), degradability (leaves vs roots), and placement (mixing vs mulching). Incubations at 25 °C with 80% soil–water saturation coupled high-resolution pH optodes and HYDRUS-PHREEQC simulations to quantify SIC reactivity. Mixed applications of labile maize leaves (C:N = 17.3) intensified topsoil (∼50% of the 10 cm column) acid loading (pH 7.9 → 5.7), promoting decarbonation and deepening acidification front (>3.2 cm). Soil respiration emerged as a key influencer of CO2pressures, controlling porewater acid carrying capacity. Dissolution promoters (H2O, H+, and H2CO3) drove topsoil decarbonation (0.84 t C ha–1in mixed profiles vs 0.06 t C ha–1in mulched) and subsoil (5–10 cm) bicarbonate accrual. δ13C tracing showed SIC-sourced CO2peaks (+25 to +51‰, 40–60% contribution) during incubation’s first quarter (∼day 16–24) prior to SOM-domination (0 to −12‰, 20–10%), reflecting a mixed continuum of CO2sources, SC turnover, and climate feedbacks.

KW - bicarbonate export

KW - biogenic CO

KW - carbonate reactivity

KW - inorganic CO

KW - optode technology

KW - reactive transport modeling

KW - residue decomposition

KW - soil inorganic carbon

KW - δC tracing

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U2 - 10.1021/acs.est.5c07428

DO - 10.1021/acs.est.5c07428

M3 - Article

C2 - 41215687

AN - SCOPUS:105021380445

VL - 59

SP - 23869

EP - 23882

JO - Environmental Science and Technology

JF - Environmental Science and Technology

SN - 0013-936X

IS - 44

ER -

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