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Particulate organic matter as a functional soil component for persistent soil organic carbon

Author

Listed:
  • Kristina Witzgall

    (Soil Science, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich)

  • Alix Vidal

    (Soil Science, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich)

  • David I. Schubert

    (Institute for Organic Farming, Soil and Resource Management, Bavarian State Research Center for Agriculture)

  • Carmen Höschen

    (Soil Science, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich)

  • Steffen A. Schweizer

    (Soil Science, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich)

  • Franz Buegger

    (Institute of Biochemical Plant Pathology, Helmholtz Zentrum München (GmbH), German Research Center for Environmental Health)

  • Valérie Pouteau

    (UMR Ecosys, INRA AgroParisTech, Bât. EGER)

  • Claire Chenu

    (UMR Ecosys, INRA AgroParisTech, Bât. EGER)

  • Carsten W. Mueller

    (Soil Science, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich
    University of Copenhagen)

Abstract

The largest terrestrial organic carbon pool, carbon in soils, is regulated by an intricate connection between plant carbon inputs, microbial activity, and the soil matrix. This is manifested by how microorganisms, the key players in transforming plant-derived carbon into soil organic carbon, are controlled by the physical arrangement of organic and inorganic soil particles. Here we conduct an incubation of isotopically labelled litter to study effects of soil structure on the fate of litter-derived organic matter. While microbial activity and fungal growth is enhanced in the coarser-textured soil, we show that occlusion of organic matter into aggregates and formation of organo-mineral associations occur concurrently on fresh litter surfaces regardless of soil structure. These two mechanisms—the two most prominent processes contributing to the persistence of organic matter—occur directly at plant–soil interfaces, where surfaces of litter constitute a nucleus in the build-up of soil carbon persistence. We extend the notion of plant litter, i.e., particulate organic matter, from solely an easily available and labile carbon substrate, to a functional component at which persistence of soil carbon is directly determined.

Suggested Citation

  • Kristina Witzgall & Alix Vidal & David I. Schubert & Carmen Höschen & Steffen A. Schweizer & Franz Buegger & Valérie Pouteau & Claire Chenu & Carsten W. Mueller, 2021. "Particulate organic matter as a functional soil component for persistent soil organic carbon," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-10, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:12:y:2021:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-021-24192-8
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-24192-8
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    Cited by:

    1. Gerrit Angst & Kevin E. Mueller & Michael J. Castellano & Cordula Vogel & Martin Wiesmeier & Carsten W. Mueller, 2023. "Unlocking complex soil systems as carbon sinks: multi-pool management as the key," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-8, December.
    2. Zhenghu Zhou & Chengjie Ren & Chuankuan Wang & Manuel Delgado-Baquerizo & Yiqi Luo & Zhongkui Luo & Zhenggang Du & Biao Zhu & Yuanhe Yang & Shuo Jiao & Fazhu Zhao & Andong Cai & Gaihe Yang & Gehong We, 2024. "Global turnover of soil mineral-associated and particulate organic carbon," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-9, December.
    3. Tong-Hui Wu & Yu-Fu Hu & Yan-Yan Zhang & Xiang-Yang Shu & Ze-Peng Yang & Wei Zhou & Cheng-Yi Huang & Jie Li & Zhi Li & Jia He & Ying Yu, 2022. "Changes in soil organic carbon and its fractions under grassland reclamation in alpine-cold soils, China," Soil and Water Research, Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences, vol. 17(4), pages 211-221.
    4. Nikolaos V. Paranychianakis & Giorgos Giannakis & Daniel Moraetis & Vasileios A. Tzanakakis & Nikolaos P. Nikolaidis, 2021. "Crop Litter Has a Strong Effect on Soil Organic Matter Sequestration in Semi-Arid Environments," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(23), pages 1-14, November.
    5. Steffen Schlüter & Frederic Leuther & Lukas Albrecht & Carmen Hoeschen & Rüdiger Kilian & Ronny Surey & Robert Mikutta & Klaus Kaiser & Carsten W. Mueller & Hans-Jörg Vogel, 2022. "Microscale carbon distribution around pores and particulate organic matter varies with soil moisture regime," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-14, December.

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