Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
B. Ye, J. R. Michalski
Summary: Compositional stratigraphy on Mars often shows Al-rich clay minerals overlaying Fe/Mg-rich clay minerals, with some occurrences in settings where the protoliths are likely pyroclastic materials. The presence of clay-bearing deposits in volcanic areas suggests precipitation-driven weathering of ash deposits. The early sedimentary record of Mars may have been dominated by pyroclastic deposits, linking clay minerals to elements of Mars' climate, weathering, and sedimentary processes.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Soil Science
Brooke D. Hunter, Joshua J. Roering, Peter C. Almond, Oliver A. Chadwick, Matthew L. Polizzotto, Lucas C. R. Silva
Summary: Characterizing the distribution and dynamics of organic carbon in soil is critical for quantifying changes in the global carbon cycle. The impact of weathering on soil geochemistry and organic carbon (SOC) storage has been analyzed using data from the Siuslaw River soil chronosequence. The results show that SOC stocks decrease with soil age as poorly crystalline minerals are replaced by more stable forms, but deep SOC storage becomes significant after 120 kyr, composing more than 40% of the total SOC stock by 990 kyr. These findings highlight the importance of understanding soil development in the critical zone for predicting SOC stocks.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Dong Liu, Mengyuan Li, Rongda Yu, Haoyu Li, Yuguo Shen, Qian Tian, Hongling Bu, Chuanqin Huang, Wenfeng Tan
Summary: This study confirmed the presence of organic matter in the interlayer space of hydroxy-interlayered clay minerals (HIMs) in red earth using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy-electron energy loss spectroscopy, providing direct visible evidence of interlayer organic matter in red earth.
APPLIED CLAY SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Philip A. E. Pogge von Strandmann, Kevin W. Burton, Sophie Opfergelt, Bianca Genson, Rannveig A. Guicharnaud, Sigurour R. Gislason
Summary: This study analyzed Li isotope ratios in soil and pore water profiles from Iceland with different levels of weathering. The results showed that more weathered soils had lower Li isotope values in pore water, and the fractionation of Li isotopes was controlled by the degree of Li uptake by secondary minerals in the soil.
GEOCHIMICA ET COSMOCHIMICA ACTA
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Kexin Chen, Jun Liang, Xiaoyun Xu, Ling Zhao, Hao Qiu, Xinbing Wang, Xinde Cao
Summary: This study demonstrates that biochar/persulfate is effective in the degradation of sulfamethoxazole (SMX) in soil, and the degradation is influenced by soil iron minerals and organic matter.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Doina Smaranda Sirbu-Radasanu, Ramona Huzum, Delia-Georgeta Dumitras, Cristina Oana Stan
Summary: This study aimed to determine the degree of soil formation in the Manaila alpine area using mineralogical and geochemical exploration methods. The results showed that the soil mainly consists of dioctahedral 2:1 minerals, quartz, chlorite, and other minerals, indicating the influence of sericite and quartz on soil formation.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Francisco Ruiz, Gabriel Ramatis Pugliese Andrade, Lucas Resmini Sartor, Jean Cheyson Barros dos Santos, Valdomiro Severino de Souza Junior, Tiago Osorio Ferreira
Summary: The rhizosphere is a highly biogeochemically active site that influences soil formation processes such as mineral weathering. Contrasting biogeochemical environments were found between the rhizosphere and bulk soils in Technosols, with the former having lower pH values, higher dissolved organic carbon concentrations, and increased enzymatic activity. The transformation of primary minerals in the rhizosphere, triggered by higher biological activity, led to the release of key nutrients into the soil solution and the formation of amorphous Si phases.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Wolfram Buss, Heath Hasemer, Scott Ferguson, Justin Borevitz
Summary: The application of calcium- and magnesium-rich silicates in soil can capture and store carbon dioxide while also stabilizing soil organic matter. This study found that adding finely ground silicate rock mining residues to soil increased soil pH, inorganic carbon content, and soil-exchangeable calcium and magnesium. Furthermore, it increased mineral-associated organic matter by supplying secondary minerals and associated sites for organic matter sorption. However, the effect of silicate rock on microaggregates and carbon within was counteracted by the presence of plants, which decreased soil-exchangeable magnesium and calcium contents.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Qingchao Li, Lingli Wang, Yu Fu, Dagang Lin, Meiru Hou, Xiaodie Li, Dongdong Hu, Zhaohui Wang
Summary: This study reviews the impact of environmental disturbance on the stabilization of soil organic matter and the protective role of minerals. The current focus of research is on the adsorption of organic matter or functional groups by minerals, but this does not represent the real situation in soil. Therefore, further research on the stabilization mechanism of soil organic matter, development of in situ analysis techniques, and establishment of mathematical models to simulate environmental changes are critical. These studies can contribute to better understanding the stability of organic matter, solving the "black box" problem of soil organic matter, and further understanding the impact of soil organic matter on the global environment and carbon cycle.
JOURNAL OF SOILS AND SEDIMENTS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Joshua J. Roering, Brooke D. Hunter, Ken L. Ferrier, Oliver A. Chadwick, Kyungsoo Yoo, Adrian A. Wackett, Peter C. Almond, Lucas Silva, A. Mark Jellinek
Summary: Primary minerals in soils preferentially associate with soil organic carbon (SOC), hindering microbial decomposition and CO2 release. A theoretical framework is proposed to estimate PCM density and stocks in hilly and mountainous settings. The optimal erosion rate for maximum PCM abundance is determined based on weathering and ripening processes. Slow-to-moderate erosion rates are optimal for abundant PCM stocks and SOC sequestration.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Tuo Zhang, Xinyi Chen, Yu Wang, Lijuan Li, Yuanyuan Sun, Yanan Wang, Xibai Zeng
Summary: This study characterized the variation of As(V)-bound ferrihydrite (Fh) in long-term continuously submerged soil suspensions. The results showed that soil pH and Fe(II) concentration were key factors controlling the As(V)-Fh transformation process. Furthermore, the differences between soils from different provinces were attributed to variations in soil pH values and contents of available Fe.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Anna Chiara Tangari, Emilia Le Pera, Sergio Ando, Eduardo Garzanti, Eugenio Piluso, Lucia Marinangeli, Fabio Scarciglia
Summary: This study proposed an integrated methodology for reconstructing weathering patterns and pedogenetic processes using pedological, petrographic, mineralogical, and geochemical analyses of transparent heavy-minerals. The differences in heavy mineral content in soil profiles appear to be controlled by the nature of local bedrocks, allochthonous parent material, and the extent of chemical weathering. The findings suggest that the majority of heavy minerals have undergone chemical weathering consistent with high rainfall rates and acidic pH conditions.
Article
Soil Science
Clecia Cristina Barbosa Guimaraes, Jose A. M. Dematte, Antonio Carlos de Azevedo, Ricardo Simao Diniz Dalmolin, Alexandre ten Caten, Veridiana Maria Sayao, Rafael Cipriano da Silva, Raul Roberto Poppiel, Wanderson de Sousa Mendes, Diego Fernando Urbina Salazar, Arnaldo Barros e Souza
Summary: This study investigated the synergistic performance of various spectral ranges on the weathering process of soils developed from magmatic material. It found that a synergic approach using multiple spectral ranges was more efficient in separating soil horizons by weathering degree compared to a single spectral region.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Haowei Mei, Xing Jian, Wei Zhang, Hanjing Fu, Shuo Zhang
Summary: Continental weathering is essential in connecting Earth's spheres, shaping landscapes, and regulating chemical cycles and global climate. A study in southeast China on granitic regolith profiles reveals intensive chemical weathering in top-soil samples, with depletion of plagioclase and K-feldspar and formation of kaolinite. The underlying oxidized-soil samples show higher chemical index of alteration values and enrichment of certain elements, indicating the importance of petrographic and mineralogical proxies in evaluating weathering intensity for regolith profiles.
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Chunmei Chen, Aaron Thompson
Summary: Organic matter retards Fe(II) oxidation rates, while pre-existing Fe (oxyhydr)oxides play a significant role in catalyzing Fe(II) oxidation. Non-extractable soil minerals after removing Fe (oxyhydr)oxides have only a minor effect on oxidation rates.
GEOCHIMICA ET COSMOCHIMICA ACTA
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Bruce A. Hungate, Jane C. Marks, Mary E. Power, Egbert Schwartz, Kees Jan van Groenigen, Steven J. Blazewicz, Peter Chuckran, Paul Dijkstra, Brianna K. Finley, Mary K. Firestone, Megan Foley, Alex Greenlon, Michaela Hayer, Kirsten S. Hofmockel, Benjamin J. Koch, Michelle C. Mack, Rebecca L. Mau, Samantha N. Miller, Ember M. Morrissey, Jeffrey R. Propster, Alicia M. Purcell, Ella Sieradzki, Evan P. Starr, Bram W. G. Stone, Cesar Terrer, Jennifer Pett-Ridge, Katherine P. Lemon
Summary: This study found that predatory bacteria have higher growth and carbon assimilation rates compared to nonpredatory bacteria, with obligate predators showing the highest rates. This suggests that predator control of lower trophic levels increases with higher productivity, highlighting the importance of predatory bacteria in influencing element flow through microbial food webs.
Article
Microbiology
Mengting Maggie Yuan, Anne Kakouridis, Evan Starr, Nhu Nguyen, Shengjing Shi, Jennifer Pett-Ridge, Erin Nuccio, Jizhong Zhou, Mary Firestone
Summary: Soil bacteria and fungi form niche-specific communities near roots, with nonmycorrhizal fungi showing increasingly complex networks with bacteria in rhizosphere soils, while arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) more often form networks with bacteria in bulk soils. This suggests niche sharing between nonmycorrhizal fungi and bacteria, versus niche partitioning between AMF and bacteria, likely driven by C substrate availability and quality. MAGs matching the bacterial nodes possess functional potential to interact with linked fungi, suggesting ecological significance of fungal-bacterial cooccurrence.
Article
Ecology
Colin T. Bates, Arthur Escalas, Jialiang Kuang, Lauren Hale, Yuan Wang, Don Herman, Erin E. Nuccio, Xiaoling Wan, Amrita Bhattacharyya, Ying Fu, Renmao Tian, Gangsheng Wang, Daliang Ning, Yunfeng Yang, Liyou Wu, Jennifer Pett-Ridge, Malay Saha, Kelly Craven, Eoin L. Brodie, Mary Firestone, Jizhong Zhou
Summary: A study conducted in southern Oklahoma, USA, analyzed the impacts of cultivating Switchgrass on soil greenhouse gases, chemistry, and microbial communities over 17 months. Results showed significant changes in soil carbon stocks and greenhouse gas fluxes, particularly on highly degraded lands.
Review
Environmental Sciences
Peter M. Kopittke, Asmeret Asefaw Berhe, Yolima Carrillo, Timothy R. Cavagnaro, Deli Chen, Qing-Lin Chen, Mercedes Roman Dobarco, Feike A. Dijkstra, Damien J. Field, Michael J. Grundy, Ji-Zheng He, Frances C. Hoyle, Ingrid Kogel-Knabner, Shu Kee Lam, Petra Marschner, Cristina Martinez, Alex B. McBratney, Eve McDonald-Madden, Neal W. Menzies, Luke M. Mosley, Carsten W. Mueller, Daniel V. Murphy, Uffe N. Nielsen, Anthony G. O'Donnell, Elise Pendall, Jennifer Pett-Ridge, Cornelia Rumpel, Iain M. Young, Budiman Minasny
Summary: Healthy soils play a crucial role in planetary survivability, providing not only calories but also other essential functions. However, intensive agriculture is rapidly degrading soils and diminishing their capacity to deliver vital functions, highlighting the need to focus on the multiple functions of soils for long-term human welfare and the survivability of the planet.
CRITICAL REVIEWS IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Janghyuk Lee, Rachel Hestrin, Erin E. Nuccio, Keith D. Morrison, Christina E. Ramon, Ty J. Samo, Jennifer Pett-Ridge, Sonny S. Ly, Ted A. Laurence, Peter K. Weber
Summary: This study developed a label-free multiphoton nonlinear imaging approach to visualize microorganisms in soil and roots, providing contrast and chemical information. The method successfully imaged fungi and bacteria structures in the soil and roots, holding significant promise for soil science research.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Craig R. See, Adrienne B. Keller, Sarah E. Hobbie, Peter G. Kennedy, Peter K. Weber, Jennifer Pett-Ridge
Summary: This article questions the assumption that microbial redistribution of carbon into non-rhizosphere soils is minimal, arguing that fungal redistribution plays a significant role. The analysis demonstrates that the omission of the hyphosphere overlooks key mechanisms for mineral-associated organic matter formation in bulk soils.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Alicia M. Purcell, Michaela Hayer, Benjamin J. Koch, Rebecca L. Mau, Steven J. Blazewicz, Paul Dijkstra, Michelle C. Mack, Jane C. Marks, Ember M. Morrissey, Jennifer Pett-Ridge, Rachel L. Rubin, Egbert Schwartz, Natasja C. van Gestel, Bruce A. Hungate
Summary: Soil carbon storage is crucial for global climate, with microbial growth rates sensitive to temperature, showing diverse responses among taxa. Long-term experimental warming reduced soil microbial growth rates, with varied response magnitude among taxa but consistent direction of reduced growth. The study suggests that aggregate microbial responses may be adequate for climate modeling, and highlights the importance of indirect effects of warming on soil microbes.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Soil Science
Christina Fossum, Katerina Y. Estera-Molina, Mengting Yuan, Donald J. Herman, Ilexis Chu-Jacoby, Peter S. Nico, Keith D. Morrison, Jennifer Pett-Ridge, Mary K. Firestone
Summary: Plant-fixed carbon moves into soil within days and becomes associated with the mineral fraction of the soil within weeks. While most plant carbon cycles rapidly within a year, a significant proportion persists in the soil for longer than 2 years. Our 2-year field study reveals the rapid movement of plant carbon into the heavy fraction of soil, followed by the evolution of the chemical forms of organic carbon in the heavy fraction.
SOIL BIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY
(2022)
Correction
Microbiology
Anneliek M. ter Horst, Christian Santos-Medellin, Jackson W. Sorensen, Laura A. Zinke, Rachel M. Wilson, Eric R. Johnston, Gareth Trubl, Jennifer Pett-Ridge, Steven J. Blazewicz, Paul J. Hanson, Jeffrey P. Chanton, Christopher W. Schadt, Joel E. Kostka, Joanne B. Emerson
Article
Microbiology
Anneliek M. ter Horst, Christian Santos-Medellin, Jackson W. Sorensen, Laura A. Zinke, Rachel M. Wilson, Eric R. Johnston, Gareth G. Trubl, Jennifer Pett-Ridge, Steven J. Blazewicz, Paul J. Hanson, Jeffrey P. Chanton, Christopher W. Schadt, Joel E. Kostka, Joanne B. Emerson
Summary: The study reveals that viral community composition in peatlands is influenced by factors such as peat depth, water content, and carbon chemistry, showing distinct aquatic characteristics. Viral populations in peatlands have narrow predicted host ranges. There are strong viral species boundaries between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, as well as between different types of soils.
Review
Microbiology
Noah W. Sokol, Eric Slessarev, Gianna L. Marschmann, Alexa Nicolas, Steven J. Blazewicz, Eoin L. Brodie, Mary K. Firestone, Megan M. Foley, Rachel Hestrin, Bruce A. Hungate, Benjamin J. Koch, Bram W. Stone, Matthew B. Sullivan, Olivier Zablocki, Jennifer Pett-Ridge
Summary: Soil microorganisms play a critical role in global biogeochemical cycles, and their metabolic functions are influenced by ecological interactions and the surrounding environment. Understanding microbial life and death can help predict soil biogeochemical dynamics.
NATURE REVIEWS MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Eric W. Slessarev, Allegra Mayer, Courtland Kelly, Katerina Georgiou, Jennifer Pett-Ridge, Erin E. Nuccio
Summary: Changes in soil organic carbon storage can impact global climate, and identifying environments that can gain or lose SOC is important. However, the observation that SOC-poor soils tend to gain or retain carbon more readily than SOC-rich soils may be influenced by statistical artifacts. Applying statistical corrections and avoiding normalized metrics can address this issue and improve scientific inference for environmental management.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2022)