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Soil organic carbon thresholds control fertilizer effects on carbon accrual in croplands worldwide

Author

Listed:
  • Jun Ling

    (China Agricultural University)

  • Jennifer A. J. Dungait

    (University of Exeter
    SRUC-Scotland’s Rural College)

  • Manuel Delgado-Baquerizo

    (CSIC)

  • Zhenling Cui

    (China Agricultural University)

  • Ranran Zhou

    (China Agricultural University)

  • Wushuai Zhang

    (Southwest University)

  • Qiang Gao

    (Jilin Agricultural University)

  • Yuanxue Chen

    (Sichuan Agricultural University)

  • Shanchao Yue

    (Shanxi Agricultural University)

  • Yakov Kuzyakov

    (University of Göttingen
    Agriculture Academy)

  • Fusuo Zhang

    (China Agricultural University)

  • Xinping Chen

    (China Agricultural University)

  • Jing Tian

    (China Agricultural University)

Abstract

Initiatives to restore soil fertility and mitigate global warming rely on rebuilding soil organic carbon (SOC). Nitrogen (N) fertilization is crucial for crop yields but affects SOC unpredictably due to varying responses of particulate organic carbon (POC) and mineral-associated organic carbon (MAOC) pools to initial SOC levels. To clarify these effects, here, by combining a global meta-analysis with continental-scale field experiments, we determine that an initial SOC threshold of 15 g C kg−1 controls the effect of N fertilization on POC and MAOC. In SOC-poor soils (

Suggested Citation

  • Jun Ling & Jennifer A. J. Dungait & Manuel Delgado-Baquerizo & Zhenling Cui & Ranran Zhou & Wushuai Zhang & Qiang Gao & Yuanxue Chen & Shanchao Yue & Yakov Kuzyakov & Fusuo Zhang & Xinping Chen & Jing, 2025. "Soil organic carbon thresholds control fertilizer effects on carbon accrual in croplands worldwide," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-13, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-57981-6
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-57981-6
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