Losses of soil organic carbon under wind erosion in China

Soil organic carbon (SOC) storage generally represents the long‐term net balance of photosynthesis and total respiration in terrestrial ecosystems. However, soil erosion can affect SOC content by direct removal of soil and reduction of the surface soil depth; it also affects plant growth and soil biological activity, soil air CO₂ concentration, water regimes, soil temperature, soil respiration, carbon flux to the atmosphere, and carbon deposition in soil. In arid and semi‐arid region of northern China, wind erosion caused soil degradation and desert expansion. This paper estimated the SOC loss of the surface horizon at eroded regions based on soil property and wind erosion intensity data. The SOC loss in China because of wind erosion was about 75 Tg C yr^?1 in 1990s. The spatial pattern of SOC loss indicates that SOC loss of the surface horizon increases significantly with the increase of soil wind erosion intensity. The comparison of SOC loss and annual net primary productivity (NPP) of terrestrial ecosystem was discussed in wind erosion regions of China. We found that NPP is also low in the eroded regions and heavy SOC loss often occurs in regions where NPP is very small. However, there is potential to improve our study to resolve uncertainty on the soil organic matter oxidation and soil deposition processes in eroded and deposited sites.     

A review of the species,community, and ecosystem impacts of road salt salinisation in fresh waters

相似文献   

Maize cellulosic biofuels: soil carbon loss can be a hidden cost of residue removal

Second generation biofuels, like cellulosic ethanol, have potential as important energy sources that can lower fossil fuel carbon emissions without affecting global food commodity prices. Agricultural crop residues, especially maize, have been proposed for use as biofuel, but the net greenhouse warming effect of the gained fossil fuel carbon offset needs to account for any ecosystem carbon losses caused by the large‐scale maize residue removal. Using differential ¹³C isotopic ratios between residue and soil in an incubation experiment, we found that removal of residue increased soil organic matter decomposition by an average of 16%, or 540–800 kg carbon ha^?1. Thus, removal of residue for biofuel production can have a hidden carbon cost, reducing potential greenhouse gas benefits. Accurate net carbon accounting of cellulosic biofuel needs to include not only fossil fuel savings from use of the residue, but also any declines in soil carbon caused directly and indirectly by residue removal.     

Impacts of logging roads on tropical forests

Road networks are expanding in tropical countries, increasing human access to remote forests that act as refuges for biodiversity and provide globally important ecosystem services. Logging is one of the main drivers of road construction in tropical forests. We evaluated forest fragmentation and impacts of logging roads on forest resilience and wildlife, considering the full life cycle of logging roads. Through an extensive evidence review we found that for logging road construction, corridors between 3 and 66 m (median 20 m) width are cleared, leading to a loss of 0.6–8.0 percent (median 1.7%) of forest cover. More severe impacts are increased fire incidence, soil erosion, landslides, and sediment accumulation in streams. Once opened, logging roads potentially allow continued access to the forest interior, which can lead to biological invasions, increased hunting pressure, and proliferation of swidden agriculture. Some roads, initially built for logging, become converted to permanent, public roads with subsequent in‐migration and conversion of forest to agriculture. Most logging roads, however, are abandoned to vegetation recovery. Given the far‐reaching impacts of the roads that become conduits for human access, its control after the end of logging operations is crucial. Strategic landscape planning should design road networks that concentrate efficient forest exploitation and conserve roadless areas.     

Crop residue harvest impacts wind erodibility and simulated soil loss in the Central Great Plains

Crop residue removal can affect the susceptibility to soil wind erosion in climates such as those of the Central Great Plains, United States. Six on‐farm trials were conducted in Kansas from 2011 to 2013 to determine the effects of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), corn (Zea mays L.), and grain sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench), residue removal at 0, 25, 50, 75, and 100% of initial height on soil wind erosion parameters. Those parameters include soil surface random roughness (RR), and wind erodible fraction (EF; aggregates <0.84 mm), geometric mean diameter (GMD) and geometric standard deviation (GSD), stability of dry aggregates (DAS). Complete (100%) residue removal decreased the surface RR, increased EF, and decreased GMD. Overwinter EF values increased for five of six sites from fall 2011 to spring of 2012, particularly for the uppermost removal height (≥75%). Measured EF, GMD, GSD, DAS, and RR were also input into the Single‐event Wind Erosion Evaluation Program (SWEEP) to determine the effect of these parameters on simulated soil loss. The SWEEP simulated the wind velocity needed to initiate wind erosion as well as soil loss under each residue removal height at a wind velocity of 13 m s^?1 for three hours. Threshold wind velocity required to initiate wind erosion generally decreased with increasing crop residue removal height, particularly for >75% removal. Total estimated soil loss over the three‐hour event ranged from ≈2 to 25 Mg ha^?1, depending on EF, GMD, GSD, RR, and percent crop residue cover. Removing 75% residue increased simulated wind erosion at three of six sites while removing 50% appears sustainable at all six study sites. Findings reinforce the need for site‐by‐site consideration of the potential amount of crop residue that may be harvested while mitigating wind erosion. Study results indicate the value of maintaining residue at >75% of original height.     

Legacy Effects of Oil Road Reclamation on Soil Biology and Plant Community Composition

Following the unprecedented oil drilling presently occurring in western North Dakota, thousands of kilometers of oil roads must be reclaimed to an acceptable post‐extraction condition. This study assessed the soil biological and plant communities of nine decommissioned oil roads reclaimed during three periods between 1983 and 2002 in the Little Missouri National Grasslands of western North Dakota. We hypothesized that time‐since‐reclamation would positively affect soil biological and plant communities and, consequently, success of reclamation at older sites. To assess this hypothesis, we measured soil enzyme activity, soil microbial community composition, plant community composition, and soil physical and chemical properties along a gradient extending from road‐center to adjacent native prairie for the nine roads. Time‐since‐reclamation did not affect soil and plant properties measured, indicating that older reclamations are not more similar to native prairie than reclamations occurring more recently. A strong gradient between samples from road‐center and native prairie was identified with univariate and ordination analyses, indicating that soil and plant communities of reclaimed oil roads do not resemble those of the surrounding prairie. Soil organic matter (SOM) was identified as the most significantly affected soil property, being 30% lower on reclaimed roads than prairie. The relationship between SOM, microbial community, and plant community suggests that incorporating additional SOM could hasten reclamation as a result of improving the physical environment for plants and providing a labile carbon and energy source for the soil microbial community which, in turn, will enhance the nutrient and physical conditions for plant growth.     

Soil and crop response to stover removal from rainfed and irrigated corn

Excessive corn (Zea mays L.) stover removal for biofuel and other uses may adversely impact soil and crop production. We assessed the effects of stover removal at 0, 25, 50, 75, and 100% from continuous corn on water erosion, corn yield, and related soil properties during a 3‐year study under irrigated and no‐tillage management practice on a Ulysses silt loam at Colby, irrigated and strip till management practice on a Hugoton loam at Hugoton, and rainfed and no‐tillage management practice on a Woodson silt loam at Ottawa in Kansas, USA. The slope of each soil was <1%. One year after removal, complete (100%) stover removal resulted in increased losses of sediment by 0.36–0.47 Mg ha^?1 at the irrigated sites, but, at the rainfed site, removal at rates as low as 50% resulted in increased sediment loss by 0.30 Mg ha^?1 and sediment‐associated carbon (C) by 0.29 kg ha^?1. Complete stover removal reduced wet aggregate stability of the soil at the irrigated sites in the first year after removal, but, at the rainfed site, wet aggregate stability was reduced in all years. Stover removal at rates ≥ 50% resulted in reduced soil water content, increased soil temperature in summer by 3.5–6.8 °C, and reduced temperature in winter by about 0.5 °C. Soil C pool tended to decrease and crop yields tended to increase with an increase in stover removal, but 3 years after removal, differences were not significant. Overall, stover removal at rates ≥50% may enhance grain yield but may increase risks of water erosion and negatively affect soil water and temperature regimes in this region.     

Perennial warm‐season grasses for producing biofuel and enhancing soil properties: an alternative to corn residue removal

Removal of corn (Zea mays L.) residues at high rates for biofuel and other off‐farm uses may negatively impact soil and the environment in the long term. Biomass removal from perennial warm‐season grasses (WSGs) grown in marginally productive lands could be an alternative to corn residue removal as biofuel feedstocks while controlling water and wind erosion, sequestering carbon (C), cycling water and nutrients, and enhancing other soil ecosystem services. We compared wind and water erosion potential, soil compaction, soil hydraulic properties, soil organic C (SOC), and soil fertility between biomass removal from WSGs and corn residue removal from rainfed no‐till continuous corn on a marginally productive site on a silty clay loam in eastern Nebraska after 2 and 3 years of management. The field‐scale treatments were as follows: (i) switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.), (ii) big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii Vitman), and (iii) low‐diversity grass mixture [big bluestem, indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans (L.) Nash), and sideoats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula (Michx.) Torr.)], and (iv) 50% corn residue removal with three replications. Across years, corn residue removal increased wind‐erodible fraction from 41% to 86% and reduced wet aggregate stability from 1.70 to 1.15 mm compared with WSGs in the upper 7.5 cm soil depth. Corn residue removal also reduced water retention by 15% between ?33 and ?300 kPa potentials and plant‐available water by 25% in the upper 7.5 cm soil depth. However, corn residue removal did not affect final water infiltration, SOC concentration, soil fertility, and other properties. Overall, corn residue removal increases erosion potential and reduces water retention shortly after removal, suggesting that biomass removal from perennial WSGs is a desirable alternative to corn residue removal for biofuel production and maintenance of soil ecosystem services.     

三峡库区土质道路侵蚀产沙过程的模拟降雨试验

以三峡库区王家桥小流域为研究区,通过野外调查选择了5个典型路段,在1.0 mm min~(-1)模拟降雨条件下研究了土质道路降雨-径流-泥沙关系.结果表明,土质道路被高度压实,但使用强度和管护方式差异致使容重、路面浮土、杂草盖度、饱和导水率等差异显著.土质道路仅需1～3 mm降雨就能产生地表径流,7～10 mm的降雨使径流趋于稳定,径流系数超过60%,特别是车流量较大干道的径流系数超过70%,平均和峰值径流量达0.69 mm min~(-1)和0.84 mm min~(-1).土质路面大量浮土致使初始径流含沙量高,然后快速下降并趋于稳定.由于路面浮土量大和在降雨过程中能形成人工细沟的车辙等导致较大车流量干道的土壤流失率是其它路段3～4倍.土质道路的容重和路面浮土与径流系数和土壤流失量呈显著正相关,饱和导水率则呈显著负相关;路面杂草能显著减少径流,防治路面侵蚀.     

Tree planting in organic soils does not result in net carbon sequestration on decadal timescales

Tree planting is increasingly being proposed as a strategy to combat climate change through carbon (C) sequestration in tree biomass. However, total ecosystem C storage that includes soil organic C (SOC) must be considered to determine whether planting trees for climate change mitigation results in increased C storage. We show that planting two native tree species (Betula pubescens and Pinus sylvestris), of widespread Eurasian distribution, onto heather (Calluna vulgaris) moorland with podzolic and peaty podzolic soils in Scotland, did not lead to an increase in net ecosystem C stock 12 or 39 years after planting. Plots with trees had greater soil respiration and lower SOC in organic soil horizons than heather control plots. The decline in SOC cancelled out the increment in C stocks in tree biomass on decadal timescales. At all four experimental sites sampled, there was no net gain in ecosystem C stocks 12–39 years after afforestation—indeed we found a net ecosystem C loss in one of four sites with deciduous B. pubescens stands; no net gain in ecosystem C at three sites planted with B. pubescens; and no net gain at additional stands of P. sylvestris. We hypothesize that altered mycorrhizal communities and autotrophic C inputs have led to positive ‘priming’ of soil organic matter, resulting in SOC loss, constraining the benefits of tree planting for ecosystem C sequestration. The results are of direct relevance to current policies, which promote tree planting on the assumption that this will increase net ecosystem C storage and contribute to climate change mitigation. Ecosystem‐level biogeochemistry and C fluxes must be better quantified and understood before we can be assured that large‐scale tree planting in regions with considerable pre‐existing SOC stocks will have the intended policy and climate change mitigation outcomes.     

End of the road: Short-term responses of a large mammal community to forest road decommissioning

Anthropogenic disturbances are increasing worldwide, causing wildlife habitat loss, alteration, and fragmentation. In Canada, the decommissioning of linear anthropogenic structures is identified as a promising tool to restore the habitat of threatened populations of boreal caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) by reducing food availability for alternate prey and decreasing encounter probabilities with predators. In this study, we monitored the use of 40 km of decommissioned forest roads by caribou, gray wolves (Canis lupus), black bears (Ursus americanus), and moose (Alces americanus) 1–3 years after reclamation, using 232 motion-activated camera traps. We compared four additive treatments (meaning that each successive treatment included the treatment prior): closing the road to human access, decompacting its soil, planting black spruce (Picea mariana) trees, and adding enriched soil. We assessed the influence of treatments, use by other large mammals, and characteristics of the surrounding environment on road use by the four species. Caribou used the planted treatment (which also included closing and decompacting) more than the closed-only (reference) treatment, but treatments did not influence the use of decommissioned roads by bears and moose. We could not assess the use of treated roads by wolves because of low sample size. Road use by caribou declined with local moose density, but increased with local bear density. Caribou were observed more frequently on roads surrounded by regenerating and mature coniferous stands; caribou also preferentially used roads surrounded by wetlands. Our results suggest that the treatment combining road closure, soil decompaction, and tree planting could be beneficial to caribou, highlighting the relevance of including active restoration efforts in caribou conservation programs. We recommend that such a treatment be added to road decommissioning protocols for the conservation of caribou, alongside broad-scale habitat protection.     

Technoecological analysis of energy carriers for long‐haul transportation

Long‐haul transportation demand is predicted to increase in the future, resulting in higher carbon dioxide emissions. Different drivetrain technologies, such as hybrid or battery electric vehicles, electrified roads, liquefied natural gas and hydrogen, might offer solutions to this problem. To assess their ecological and economic impact, these concepts were simulated including a weight and cost model to estimate the total cost of ownership. An evolutionary algorithm optimizes each vehicle to find a concept specific optimal solution. A model calculates the minimum investment in infrastructure required to meet the energy demand for each concept. A well‐to‐wheel analysis takes into account upstream and on‐road carbon dioxide emissions, to compare fully electric vehicles with conventional combustion engines. Investment in new infrastructure is the biggest drawback of electrified road concepts, although they offer low CO₂ emissions. The diesel hybrid is the best compromise between carbon reduction and costs.     

Evaluation of carbon accrual in afforested agricultural soils

Afforestation of agricultural lands can provide economically and environmentally realistic C storage to mitigate for elevated CO₂ until other actions such as reduced fossil fuel use can be taken. Soil carbon sequestration following afforestation of agricultural land ranges from losses to substantial annual gains. The present understanding of the controlling factors is inadequate for understanding ecosystem dynamics, modeling global change and for policy decision‐makers. Our study found that planting agricultural soils to deciduous forests resulted in ecosystem C accumulations of 2.4 Mg C ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ and soil accumulations of 0.35 Mg C ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹. Planting to conifers showed an average ecosystem sequestration of 2.5 and 0.26 Mg C ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ in the soils but showed greater field to field variability than when planted to deciduous forest. Path analysis showed that Ca was positively related to soil C accumulations for both conifers and deciduous afforested sites and played a significant role in soil C accumulations in these sites. Soil N increases were closely related to C accumulation and were two times greater than could be explained by system N inputs from atmospheric deposition and natural sources. Our results suggest that the addition of Ca to afforested sites, especially conifers, may be an economical means to enhance soil C sequestration even if it does not result in increasing C in aboveground pools. The mechanism of N accumulation in these aggrading stands needs further investigation.     

Ecosystem carbon storage does not vary with mean annual temperature in Hawaiian tropical montane wet forests

Theory and experiment agree that climate warming will increase carbon fluxes between terrestrial ecosystems and the atmosphere. The effect of this increased exchange on terrestrial carbon storage is less predictable, with important implications for potential feedbacks to the climate system. We quantified how increased mean annual temperature (MAT) affects ecosystem carbon storage in above‐ and belowground live biomass and detritus across a well‐constrained 5.2 °C MAT gradient in tropical montane wet forests on the Island of Hawaii. This gradient does not systematically vary in biotic or abiotic factors other than MAT (i.e. dominant vegetation, substrate type and age, soil water balance, and disturbance history), allowing us to isolate the impact of MAT on ecosystem carbon storage. Live biomass carbon did not vary predictably as a function of MAT, while detrital carbon declined by ~14 Mg of carbon ha^?1 for each 1 °C rise in temperature – a trend driven entirely by coarse woody debris and litter. The largest detrital pool, soil organic carbon, was the most stable with MAT and averaged 48% of total ecosystem carbon across the MAT gradient. Total ecosystem carbon did not vary significantly with MAT, and the distribution of ecosystem carbon between live biomass and detritus remained relatively constant across the MAT gradient at ~44% and ~56%, respectively. These findings suggest that in the absence of alterations to precipitation or disturbance regimes, the size and distribution of carbon pools in tropical montane wet forests will be less sensitive to rising MAT than predicted by ecosystem models. This article also provides needed detail on how individual carbon pools and ecosystem‐level carbon storage will respond to future warming.     

Interactions among shrub cover and the soil microclimate may determine future Arctic carbon budgets

Arctic and Boreal terrestrial ecosystems are important components of the climate system because they contain vast amounts of soil carbon (C). Evidence suggests that deciduous shrubs are increasing in abundance, but the implications for ecosystem C budgets remain uncertain. Using midsummer CO₂ flux data from 21 sites spanning 16° of latitude in the Arctic and Boreal biomes, we show that air temperature explains c. one‐half of the variation in ecosystem respiration (ER) and that ER drives the pattern in net ecosystem CO₂ exchange across ecosystems. Woody sites were slightly stronger C sinks compared with herbaceous communities. However, woody sites with warm soils (> 10 °C) were net sources of CO₂, whereas woody sites with cold soils (< 10 °C) were strong sinks. Our results indicate that transition to a shrub‐dominated Arctic will increase the rate of C cycling, and may lead to net C loss if soil temperatures rise.     

Land use effects on erosion and carbon storage of the Río Chimbo watershed, Ecuador

Background and aims

Soil carbon storage is an important component of global carbon cycling. Andean Andisols have high carbon content and are vulnerable to erosion because of agricultural intensification and deforestation. This study examines the effects of land use on erosion and soil carbon storage in the Río Chimbo watershed of Ecuador.

Methods

Soil carbon content, age, and erosion estimated from ¹³⁷Cs inventories was measured along an elevational transect under annual cropping, natural forest, páramo, pasture, and tree plantations.

Results

Land use, particularly annual cropping, affected ¹³⁷Cs levels in the upper soil layers, but did not have an impact on total carbon storage to a depth of 1 m. Relative erosion rates estimated from ¹³⁷Cs inventories at sites under annual cropping averaged 27 t ha^?1?y^?1 over the erosion rate of non-cultivated sites. A linear relationship was observed between soil carbon age (determined by ¹⁴C levels) and ¹³⁷Cs levels, where pasture sites had lower ¹³⁷Cs and older carbon compared to natural forest sites.

Conclusions

The effects of land use on soil loss in the Río Chimbo watershed suggest a loss and/or removal of soil carbon, particularly under annual cropping.     

草灌植被转变对草地生态系统及其水碳过程的影响研究进展

气候变暖和过度放牧的共同作用使全球草地出现明显的灌丛化现象,灌木去除是草地灌丛化控制的重要方式,识别这些草灌植被转变对生态系统、生态水文、土壤侵蚀和侵蚀碳流失的影响对草地可持续管理具有重要意义。综述了草地灌木入侵及其控制对植物群落和土壤功能(如土壤有机碳)的影响,以及这些草灌植被变化对生态水文、土壤侵蚀和土壤侵蚀碳流失等水碳耦合过程的影响机制。针对目前草地灌木入侵和去除对植物群落、植被格局、水土过程和功能影响研究的薄弱环节,对未来相关研究提出以下建议：(1)需深化草灌植被转变对碳、氮等生物地球化学循环的影响机制研究,(2)需重视核磁共振光谱、生物标志物、同位素等新技术和植被格局的指数与连通性等新方法在草灌植被转变的水、碳等生态效应研究中的应用,(3)需加强草灌植被格局和生态水文、土壤侵蚀与土壤侵蚀碳等水碳过程的多要素、多过程和多尺度的综合研究。本文旨在为灌丛化草地科学有效的生态恢复与多目标的土地利用管理提供理论支撑。     

Road avoidance and its energetic consequences for reptiles

Roads are one of the most widespread human‐caused habitat modifications that can increase wildlife mortality rates and alter behavior. Roads can act as barriers with variable permeability to movement and can increase distances wildlife travel to access habitats. Movement is energetically costly, and avoidance of roads could therefore impact an animal's energy budget. We tested whether reptiles avoid roads or road crossings and explored whether the energetic consequences of road avoidance decreased individual fitness. Using telemetry data from Blanding's turtles (Emydoidea blandingii; 11,658 locations of 286 turtles from 15 sites) and eastern massasaugas (Sistrurus catenatus; 1,868 locations of 49 snakes from 3 sites), we compared frequency of observed road crossings and use of road‐adjacent habitat by reptiles to expected frequencies based on simulated correlated random walks. Turtles and snakes did not avoid habitats near roads, but both species avoided road crossings. Compared with simulations, turtles made fewer crossings of paved roads with low speed limits and more crossings of paved roads with high speed limits. Snakes made fewer crossings of all road types than expected based on simulated paths. Turtles traveled longer daily distances when their home range contained roads, but the predicted energetic cost was negligible: substantially less than the cost of producing one egg. Snakes with roads in their home range did not travel further per day than snakes without roads in their home range. We found that turtles and snakes avoided crossing roads, but road avoidance is unlikely to impact fitness through energetic expenditures. Therefore, mortality from vehicle strikes remains the most significant impact of roads on reptile populations.     

Modeling analysis of primary controls on net ecosystem productivity of seven boreal and temperate coniferous forests across a continental transect

Process‐based models are effective tools to synthesize and/or extrapolate measured carbon (C) exchanges from individual sites to large scales. In this study, we used a C‐ and nitrogen (N)‐cycle coupled ecosystem model named CN‐CLASS (Carbon Nitrogen‐Canadian Land Surface Scheme) to study the role of primary climatic controls and site‐specific C stocks on the net ecosystem productivity (NEP) of seven intermediate‐aged to mature coniferous forest sites across an east–west continental transect in Canada. The model was parameterized using a common set of parameters, except for two used in empirical canopy conductance–assimilation, and leaf area–sapwood relationships, and then validated using observed eddy covariance flux data. Leaf Rubisco‐N dynamics that are associated with soil–plant N cycling, and depend on canopy temperature, enabled the model to simulate site‐specific gross ecosystem productivity (GEP) reasonably well for all seven sites. Overall GEP simulations had relatively smaller differences compared with observations vs. ecosystem respiration (RE), which was the sum of many plant and soil components with larger variability and/or uncertainty associated with them. Both observed and simulated data showed that, on an annual basis, boreal forest sites were either carbon‐neutral or a weak C sink, ranging from 30 to 180 g C m^?2 yr^?1; while temperate forests were either a medium or strong C sink, ranging from 150 to 500 g C m^?2 yr^?1, depending on forest age and climatic regime. Model sensitivity tests illustrated that air temperature, among climate variables, and aboveground biomass, among major C stocks, were dominant factors impacting annual NEP. Vegetation biomass effects on annual GEP, RE and NEP showed similar patterns of variability at four boreal and three temperate forests. Air temperature showed different impacts on GEP and RE, and the response varied considerably from site to site. Higher solar radiation enhanced GEP, while precipitation differences had a minor effect. Magnitude of forest litter content and soil organic matter (SOM) affected RE. SOM also affected GEP, but only at low levels of SOM, because of low N mineralization that limited soil nutrient (N) availability. The results of this study will help to evaluate the impact of future climatic changes and/or forest C stock variations on C uptake and loss in forest ecosystems growing in diverse environments.     

Acidity controls on dissolved organic carbon mobility in organic soils

Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations in surface waters have increased across much of Europe and North America, with implications for the terrestrial carbon balance, aquatic ecosystem functioning, water treatment costs and human health. Over the past decade, many hypotheses have been put forward to explain this phenomenon, from changing climate and land management to eutrophication and acid deposition. Resolution of this debate has been hindered by a reliance on correlative analyses of time series data, and a lack of robust experimental testing of proposed mechanisms. In a 4 year, four‐site replicated field experiment involving both acidifying and deacidifying treatments, we tested the hypothesis that DOC leaching was previously suppressed by high levels of soil acidity in peat and organo‐mineral soils, and therefore that observed DOC increases a consequence of decreasing soil acidity. We observed a consistent, positive relationship between DOC and acidity change at all sites. Responses were described by similar hyperbolic relationships between standardized changes in DOC and hydrogen ion concentrations at all sites, suggesting potentially general applicability. These relationships explained a substantial proportion of observed changes in peak DOC concentrations in nearby monitoring streams, and application to a UK‐wide upland soil pH dataset suggests that recovery from acidification alone could have led to soil solution DOC increases in the range 46–126% by habitat type since 1978. Our findings raise the possibility that changing soil acidity may have wider impacts on ecosystem carbon balances. Decreasing sulphur deposition may be accelerating terrestrial carbon loss, and returning surface waters to a natural, high‐DOC condition.