Decadal cycling within long-lived carbon pools revealed by dual isotopic analysis of mineral-associated soil organic matter

Long-lived soil organic matter (SOM) pools are critical for the global carbon (C) cycle, but challenges in isolating such pools have inhibited understanding of their dynamics. We physically isolated particulate (>53 μm), silt-, and clay-sized organic matter from soils collected over two decades from a perennial C₃ grassland established on long-term agricultural soil with a predominantly C₄ isotopic signature. Silt- and clay-sized fractions were then subjected to a sequential chemical fractionation (acid hydrolysis followed by peroxide oxidation) to isolate long-lived C pools. We quantified ¹⁴C and the natural ¹³C isotopic label in the resulting fractions to identify and evaluate pools responsible for long-lived SOM. After removal of particulate organic matter (~14% of bulk soil C) sequential chemical treatment removed 80% of mineral-associated C. In all mineral-associated fractions, at least 55% of C₄-derived C was retained 32 years after the switch to C₃ inputs. However, C₃–C increased substantially beginning ~25 years after the switch. Radiocarbon-based turnover times ranged from roughly 1200–3000 years for chemically resistant mineral-associated pools, although some pools turned over faster under C₃ grassland than in a reference agricultural field, indicating that new material had entered some pools as early as 14 years after the vegetation switch. These findings provide further evidence that SOM chemistry does not always reflect SOM longevity and resistance to microbial decomposition. Even measureable SOM fractions that have extremely long mean turnover times (>1500 years) can have a substantial component that is dynamic over much shorter timescales.     

石灰土演替过程中颗粒态有机质和矿物结合态有机质的微生物群落特征

碳酸盐岩经风化作用并在地形、植被、气候、时间及生物等因素的影响下逐渐演替出黑色石灰土、棕色石灰土、黄色石灰土和红色石灰土。【目的】研究不同演替阶段石灰土颗粒态有机质(particulate organic matter, POM)和矿物结合态有机质(mineral-associated organic matter, MAOM)的微生物群落特征,为岩溶土壤有机质稳定机制研究提供理论依据。【方法】以广西弄岗国家级自然保护区的黑色石灰土、棕色石灰土、黄色石灰土和红色石灰土为研究对象,运用湿筛法将土壤有机质(soil organic matter, SOM)分为POM和MAOM,分析其理化性质以及微生物群落特征。【结果】石灰土演替过程中POM和MAOM的有机碳、总氮、交换性钙含量均呈下降趋势,且MAOM的C/N均大于POM,POM的C/P均大于MAOM。细菌α多样性在黑色石灰土POM和MAOM中最高,且四类石灰土MAOM的真菌多样性比POM要高。Acidobacteria、Proteobacteria、Ascomycota均为石灰土演替过程中POM和MAOM的优势菌门。总磷是影响石灰土演替过...     

Retention of soil organic matter by occlusion within soil minerals

Reviews in Environmental Science and Bio/Technology - The stabilization of soil organic matter is crucial for global carbon cycling processes as soil stores large amounts of organic carbon. The...     

Forest savanna ecotone dynamics in India as revealed by carbon isotope ratios of soil organic matter

Linear programming models of diet selection (LP) have been criticized as being too sensitive to variations in parameter values that have not been or may not be able to be measured with a high degree of precision (small standard error). Therefore, LP's predictions have been questioned, even though the predicted diet choices agree very well with observations in 400 published tests. The philosophical and statistical aspects of this criticism of LP are reviewed in light of the ability to test any nontrivial ecological theory. It is argued that measures of error in field data may not meet simple statistical definitions, and thereby, may make sensitivity analyses that use the error measures overly conservative. Furthermore, the important issue in testing ecological theory may not be the statistical confidence in a single test, but whether or not the theory withstands repeated tests.     

Ectomycorrhizal fungi contribute to soil organic matter cycling in sub-boreal forests

Soils of northern temperate and boreal forests represent a large terrestrial carbon (C) sink. The fate of this C under elevated atmospheric CO₂ and climate change is still uncertain. A fundamental knowledge gap is the extent to which ectomycorrhizal fungi (EMF) and saprotrophic fungi contribute to C cycling in the systems by soil organic matter (SOM) decomposition. In this study, we used a novel approach to generate and compare enzymatically active EMF hyphae-dominated and saprotrophic hyphae-enriched communities under field conditions. Fermentation-humus (FH)-filled mesh bags, surrounded by a sand barrier, effectively trapped EMF hyphae with a community structure comparable to that found in the surrounding FH layer, at both trophic and taxonomic levels. In contrast, over half the sequences from mesh bags with no sand barrier were identified as belonging to saprotrophic fungi. The EMF hyphae-dominated systems exhibited levels of hydrolytic and oxidative enzyme activities that were comparable to or higher than saprotroph-enriched systems. The enzymes assayed included those associated with both labile and recalcitrant SOM degradation. Our study shows that EMF hyphae are likely important contributors to current SOM turnover in sub-boreal systems. Our results also suggest that any increased EMF biomass that might result from higher below-ground C allocation by trees would not suppress C fluxes from sub-boreal soils.     

Phosphorus control of soil organic matter accumulation and cycling

The present level of understanding of P controls on organic matter accumulation and cycling in a pedological context owes much to soil sequence studies, and the hypotheses that emerged from them to explain the variation of P compounds with soil type and development. It is now widely accepted that nutrient transformations in soil are closely linked through a more dynamic biological cycle in which microorganisms have a central role. Concepts developed to account for the effects of P on N cycling, and for interpreting inter-relationships of C, N, P and S in both a pedological and biological context have yet to be tested adequately across different ecosystems. These concepts are discussed, in relation to some recent supporting evidence.     

土壤有机碳含量与同位素特征

根据长江口崇明东滩典型高程部位柱状样与鼎湖山不同海拔土壤剖面土壤有机碳(SOC)含量与SOC同位素资料(δ13C、Δ14C),研究了土壤有机质更新的元素与同位素特征。结果表明,土壤剖面δ13C最大值(δ13Cmax)深度以上土层的SOC含量与δ13C值呈负相关,该深度以下呈正相关。土壤SOC含量与δ13C呈负相关,说明有机质分解程度低,有机质中快循环组分的比例较高,为土壤表层新鲜有机质,有机质14C表观年龄不足200年;二者呈正相关指示有机质分解程度较高,为中、下部土层较稳定的有机质组分,成土年龄在300年以上。土壤SOC含量随时间下降的速率与成土时间呈负相关,δ13Cmax深度以下土层的下降速率明显低于该深度以上土层,且年代越老,SOC含量下降速率越慢,表明其有机质主要为慢循环组分。不同土壤剖面δ13C的时间趋势基本一致,在δ13Cmax深度以上土层,δ13C随时间延长而增大,该深度以下δ13C随时间延长而降低。土壤有机碳δ13C与SOC含量随时间的变化具有明显对应关系,表明二者的变化机制存在内在关联。     

Paradigm shifts in soil organic matter research affect interpretations of aquatic carbon cycling: transcending disciplinary and ecosystem boundaries

New conceptual models that highlight the importance of environmental, rather than molecular, controls on soil organic matter affect interpretations of organic matter (OM) persistence across terrestrial and aquatic boundaries. We propose that changing paradigms in our thinking about OM decomposition explain some of the uncertainties surrounding the fate of land-derived carbon (C) in marine environments. Terrestrial OM, which historically has been thought to be chemically recalcitrant to decay in soil and aquatic environments, dominates inputs to rivers yet is found in trace amounts in the ocean. We discuss three major transformations in our understanding of OM persistence that influence interpretations of the fate of aquatic OM: (1) a shift away from an emphasis on chemical recalcitrance as a primary predictor of turnover; (2) new interpretations of radiocarbon ages, which affect predictions of reactivity; and (3) the recognition that most OM leaving soils in dissolved form has been microbially processed. The first two explain rapid turnover for terrigenous OM in aquatic ecosystems once it leaves the soil matrix. The third suggests that the presence of terrestrial OM in aquatic ecosystems may be underestimated by the use of plant biomarkers. Whether these mechanisms occur in isolation of each other or in combination, they provide insight into the missing terrestrial C signature in the ocean. Spatially and temporally varying transformations of OM along land–water networks require that common terrestrial source indicators be interpreted within specific environmental contexts. We identify areas of research where collaborations between aquatic and terrestrial scientists will enhance quantification of C transfer from soils to inland water bodies, the ocean, and the atmosphere. Accurate estimates of OM processing are essential for improving predictions of the response of vulnerable C pools at the interface of soil and water to changes in climate and land use.     

Improved model simulation of soil carbon cycling by representing the microbially derived organic carbon pool

During the decomposition process of soil organic carbon (SOC), microbial products such as microbial necromass and microbial metabolites may form an important stable carbon (C) pool, called microbially derived C, which has different decomposition patterns from plant-derived C. However, current Earth System Models do not simulate this microbially derived C pool separately. Here, we incorporated the microbial necromass pool to the first-order kinetic model and the Michaelis–Menten model, respectively, and validated model behaviors against previous observation data from the decomposition experiments of ¹³C-labeled necromass. Our models showed better performance than existing models and the Michaelis–Menten model was better than the first-order kinetic model. Microbial necromass C was estimated to be 10–27% of total SOC in the study soils by our models and therefore should not be ignored. This study provides a novel modification to process-based models for better simulation of soil organic C under the context of global changes.Subject terms: Biogeochemistry, Theoretical ecology, Microbial ecology, Stable isotope analysis     

土壤溶解性有机碳在陆地生态系统碳循环中的作用

土壤溶解性有机碳(DOC)是有机碳库的活跃组分,在陆地生态系统碳循环中发挥重要作用.本文从碳循环重要性着手,综述了土壤DOC在土壤碳固持与温室气体排放中的作用;结合我国的现实情况(如土壤酸化、气候变暖等),探讨了土壤DOC的相关影响因素如土壤性质、环境因素、人为活动对土壤DOC的影响及作用机制,对进一步理解土壤DOC在陆地生态系统碳循环与温室气体减排中的作用具有重要意义.     

Sources of organic matter in Ria Formosa revealed by stable isotope analysis

The aim of this study is to assess the major sources of organic matter for macroconsumers in the Ria Formosa tidal lagoon. The C, S and N isotopic natural abundances of abundant primary producers of particulate organic matter (POM) and Mytilus galloprovincialis muscle and digestive gland were analysed. The chlorophyll a (Chl a), the suspended particulate matter (SPM) and the POM were measured along the Faro-Olhão channel. The range of variation of stable isotope values among primary producers in Ria Formosa was low suggesting difficulties in the assessment of their relative contribution to higher levels of the food web. Chl a values decreased from outer station to inner station, while SPM and POM values increased. The multiple isotope approach illustrates that POM values along the Faro-Olhão channel, may result from a mixture of upland plants, benthic plants and phytoplankton. Mussel values indicate a selective diet of benthic macrophytes and phytoplankton, with the relative proportions of each determined by the location in the channel. During winters, the upland plants may be an important source of organic matter in the inner lagoon while phytoplankton was an important source of organic matter in the outer lagoon.     

红壤稻田生态系统有机物料循环对土壤有机碳转化的影响

通过对12年田间定位试验数据的分析,研究了红壤稻田生态系统有机物料循环再利用对土壤有机碳积累的贡献及其对转化的影响。结果表明,红壤稻田生态系统有机物料循环再利用可促进土壤有机碳的积累、改善腐殖质组分和改良有机质品质。红壤稻田生态系统内有机物料循环再利用,土壤有机碳的年增速率最大可达到0.37 g.kg-1;12年间易氧化有机碳最大增量达到3.8 g.kg-1,胡敏酸和富里酸最大增量分别达到3.06和1.63 g.kg-1。预测结果显示,有机物料循环再利用红壤稻田生态系统土壤有机碳50年内可提高8.3~18.9 g.kg-1,增长率达到62.0%~140.7%。     

Effect of conventional versus mechanized sugarcane cropping systems on soil organic carbon stocks and labile carbon pools in Mauritius as revealed by 13C natural abundance

Aims

Maintenance of adequate levels of soil organic carbon (SOC) is crucial for the biological, chemical and physical functioning of soils. This study was conducted (i) to determine the impact of long-term sugarcane monoculture on total SOC stocks and on its labile fractions and (ii) to quantify the loss of original SOC and the accretion of sugarcane-derived C following the adoption of new management practices namely de-rocking/land grading and mechanized harvesting.

Methods

Five study sites representing the five major soil groups under sugarcane in Mauritius were selected with a classical “paired-plot” design adopted. In this design, two sites with similar initial conditions were developed in different ways over time. One represents the reference soil (virgin land with predominantly C₃ type vegetation) and the other represents one of the following cropping treatments: (i) fields continuously cultivated with sugarcane for more than 25 or 50 years without de-rocking or land grading, (ii) fields under long-term sugarcane but having undergone de-rocking and land grading for mechanized harvesting in the last 3 years. Soil samples were taken to a depth of 50 cm and analysed for total organic C, labile C, ¹³C natural abundance, bulk density and stone content.

Results

Changes in SOC stock in the 0–50 cm profile following >50 years of cane cropping were not significant (P?>?0.05) compared to virgin land at any site. Soil δ¹³C values revealed that long-term sugarcane cultivation resulted in a depletion of original SOC by 34 to 70 %. However, this loss was fully compensated by C input from sugarcane residues at all sites studied resulting in no net change in SOC stock. Adoption of mechanized harvest did not have any detrimental effect on SOC stocks due to C inputs from crop residues. However, long-term sugarcane cultivation resulted in significant decline in a labile C (KMnO₄-oxidizable) fraction.

Conclusion

Despite the large losses of original C following conversion from forest to sugarcane, long-term sugarcane cultivation resulted in sequestration of sugarcane-derived C which adequately compensated these losses. Moreover, intensive de-rocking and land grading preceding mechanized harvesting did not have any detrimental effect on SOC stocks. However, the quality of sugarcane soils, as indicated by a decline in labile C, could be degraded.     

土壤活性有机质(碳)的内涵和现代分析方法概述

土壤有机物质的活性成分是对土壤养分、植物生长乃至环境、大气和人类有影响的有效物质。在现代土壤研究中,出现了与之相关的繁多术语和应用指标,但是它们的内涵尚为混乱,其分析方法也缺乏系统的归纳。本文对土壤溶性有机碳(DOC)和水溶性有机碳(WSOC)、土壤有效碳(AC)、土壤潜在可矿化碳(PMC)、土壤易氧化碳(ROC)、土壤微生物量碳(SMBC)、土壤轻组有机碳(LF—C)几种较为普遍应用的土壤活性有机质(碳)从概念指标、分析意义到分析方法做了较系统的描述与理顺,以期对土壤有机质应用上的研究起到积极作用。     

Response of soil organic matter pools to elevated CO2 and warming in a semi-arid grassland

Warming and elevated atmospheric CO₂ (eCO₂) can elicit contrasting responses on different SOM pools, thus to understand the effects of combined factors it is necessary to evaluate individual pools. Over two years, we assessed responses to eCO₂ and warming of SOM pools, their susceptibility to decomposition, and whether these responses were mediated by plant inputs in a semi-arid grassland at the PHACE (Prairie Heating and CO₂ Enrichment) experiment. We used long-term soil incubations and assessed relationships between plant inputs and the responses of the labile and resistant pools. We found strong and contrasting effects of eCO₂ and warming on the labile C pool. In 2008 labile C was increased by eCO₂ and was positively related to plant biomass. In contrast, in 2007 eCO₂ and warming had interactive effects on the labile C, and the pool size was not related to plant biomass. Effects of warming and eCO₂ in this year were consistent withtreatment effects on soil moisture and temperature and their effects on labile C decomposition. The decomposition rate of the resistant C was positively related to indicators of plant C inputs. Our approach demonstrated that SOM pools in this grassland can have early and contrasting responses to climate change factors. The labile C pool in the mixed-grass prairie was highly responsive to eCO₂ and warming but the factors behind such responses were highly dynamic across years. Results suggest that in this grassland the resistant C pool could be negatively affected by increases in plant-production driven available soil C.     

沙田湖人工湿地植物-土壤有机碳库

在人工构建的用于处理水产养殖废水的表面流和水平潜流湿地复合系统中,对湿地植物各组织、湿地表层土壤(0～10 cm)、湿地植物根际土壤的有机碳含量季节变化规律进行研究,并对湿地植物表层土壤和湿地植物对有机碳的固定作用进行了分析.结果表明:湿地植物地上部分组织固定的有机碳含量表现为在生长期迅速增加,8月较高,进入成熟期(11月)后保持稳定,8月有机碳含量与5月有显著性差异、与11月差异不显著;湿地植物地下部分组织固定的有机碳含量低于地上部分,但季节变化与地上部分相似,5月含量最小,8月达到一个较高的值,11月与8月有机碳含量差异不大.植物进入生长期后,湿地表层土壤有机碳含量显著高于湿地上无植物时期,各湿地植物根际土有机碳含量均高于表层土,但差异不显著(睡莲除外).湿地表层土壤有机碳密度介于0.96～1.67 kg·m-2,受植物种类、植物生长季节等因素的影响.根据湿地面积和表层土壤有机碳含量,估算出沙田湖人工湿地(表面流湿地部分面积为3592 m2)0～10 cm土壤有机碳总量为5.61 t,通过植物吸收每年固定的碳量为10.34 t.     

Nitrogen, organic carbon and sulphur cycling in terrestrial ecosystems: linking nitrogen saturation to carbon limitation of soil microbial processes

Elevated and chronic nitrogen (N) deposition to N-limited terrestrial ecosystems can lead to ‘N saturation’, with resultant ecosystem damage and leaching of nitrate (NO₃ ^?) to surface waters. Present-day N deposition, however, is often a poor predictor of NO₃ ^? leaching, and the pathway of the ecosystem transition from N-limited to N-saturated remains incompletely understood. The dynamics of N cycling are intimately linked to the associated carbon (C) and sulphur (S) cycles. We hypothesize that N saturation is associated with shifts in the microbial community, manifest by a decrease in the fungi-to-bacteria ratio and a transition from N to C limitation. Three mechanisms could lead to lower amount of bioavailable dissolved organic C (DOC) for the microbial community and to C limitation of N-rich systems: (1) Increased abundance of N for plant uptake, causing lower C allocation to plant roots; (2) chemical suppression of DOC solubility by soil acidification; and (3) enhanced mineralisation of DOC due to increased abundance of electron acceptors in the form of ${{\text{SO}}_{ 4}}^{ 2-}$ SO 4 2 ? and NO₃ ^? in anoxic soil micro-sites. Here we consider each of these mechanisms, the extent to which their hypothesised impacts are consistent with observations from intensively-monitored sites, and the potential to improve biogeochemical models by incorporating mechanistic links to the C and S cycles.     

天然常绿阔叶林改造为板栗林对土壤有机碳库的影响

天然林改造为人工林后,由于植被覆盖类型和经营管理措施发生改变,从而显著影响土壤有机碳库的特征.测定浙江省临安市相邻的天然常绿阔叶林和板栗林(板栗林由常绿阔叶林改造而来,集约经营10年)表层(0～20 cm)和亚表层(20～40 cm)土壤有机碳储量和不同形态活性有机碳库,用固态核磁共振方法分析土壤有机碳的化学结构特征,研究天然常绿阔叶林改造为板栗林对土壤有机碳库的影响.结果表明: 常绿阔叶林改造为板栗林后,土壤表层有机碳储量、水溶性有机碳、热水溶性有机碳、微生物生物量碳和易氧化碳含量分别下降19.7%、34.4%、25.8%、30.4%和25.2%,土壤亚表层的各指标分别下降13.5%、38.4%、19.8%、34.1%和22.2%.土壤表层烷氧碳含量、芳香碳含量以及芳香度显著降低,而烷基碳含量、羰基碳含量以及A/O-A值均显著增加;土壤亚表层烷氧碳含量显著降低,而烷基碳含量和A/O-A值显著增加,而芳香碳含量、羰基碳含量以及芳香度无显著变化.天然常绿阔叶林改造为板栗林并长期集约经营后,土壤有机碳储量和活性有机碳库均显著下降,有机碳的化学结构发生显著变化.     

黄土高原不同土壤结构体有机碳库的分布

根据不同植被类型和土壤类型,分别从黄土高原不同地域分层（0～20 cm、20～40 cm和40～60 cm）采集22个土壤剖面样品,研究土壤有机碳库在不同结构体中的分布特征.结果表明,所有结构体,从表层向下有机碳含量和贮量皆呈递减趋势;而各土层,从＞5 mm、2～5 mm、1～2 mm到0.25～1 mm结构体有机碳含量呈递增趋势,而从0.25～1 mm到＜0.25 mm呈下降趋势,以0.25～1 mm结构体中有机碳含量最高.由于不同大小结构体所占比例不同,因此不同结构体中的有机碳贮量与含量并不完全一致：从＞5 mm、2～5 mm到1～2 mm结构体中有机碳贮量呈递减趋势,而从1～2 mm、0.25～1 mm到＜0.25 mm呈递增趋势,以1～2 mm结构体有机碳贮量最低.有机碳含量除土垫旱耕人为土在＜0.25 mm结构体中最大外,干湿砂质新成土、黄土正常新成土和简育干润均腐土在0.25～1 mm结构体中最高;但有机碳贮量在干湿砂质新成土和黄土正常新成土中以＜0.25 mm结构体所占比例最大,在简育干润均腐土和土垫旱耕人为土中以＞5 mm结构体所占比例最大.在不同植被下有机碳含量、贮量不同,表现为自然林地＞裸地＞人工林地＞农地.