Article
Ecology
Leiyi Chen, Yuanhe Yang
Summary: The study points out that overlooking the non-linear relationship between topsoil Delta C-14 and plant carbon input in Wu et al.'s analysis is the key reason for the disagreement between their findings and the findings of this study. Despite this, plant carbon input remains the main factor influencing topsoil carbon turnover.
Article
Environmental Studies
Guoai Li, Xuxu Chai, Zheng Shi, Honghua Ruan
Summary: This study investigated the interactive effects of biotic and abiotic drivers on radiocarbon abundance in different soil carbon fractions from various biomes. The results showed significant interactions between climate, vegetation types, soil properties, and soil fractions, affecting carbon persistence. These findings are critical for accurately predicting soil carbon dynamics.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Timothy Eglinton, Valier V. Galy, Jordon D. Hemingway, Xiaojuan Feng, Hongyan Bao, Thomas M. Blattmann, Angela F. Dickens, Hannah Gies, Liviu Giosan, Negar Haghipour, Pengfei Hou, Maarten Lupker, Cameron P. McIntyre, Daniel B. Montlucon, Bernhard Peucker-Ehrenbrink, Camilo Ponton, Enno Schefuss, Melissa S. Schwab, Britta M. Voss, Lukas Wacker, Ying Wu, Meixun Zhao
Summary: Terrestrial vegetation and soils hold significantly more carbon than the atmosphere. Human activities impacting these reserves may exacerbate climate change uncertainties, particularly in extrapolating point-source observations to ecosystem-scale budgets. The turnover of organic carbon in river basins is influenced by mean annual temperature and precipitation, with implications for soil organic carbon vulnerability on a global scale. The scaling of riverine biospheric-carbon ages with soil OC turnover reveals the potential for constraints on carbon dynamics across broad spatial scales.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Leiyi Chen, Kai Fang, Bin Wei, Shuqi Qin, Xuehui Feng, Tianyu Hu, Chengjun Ji, Yuanhe Yang
Summary: Research indicates that plant carbon input plays a crucial role in regulating the persistence of soil organic matter, especially affecting the destabilization of carbon in topsoil. On the other hand, mineral protection, such as iron-aluminum oxides and cations, becomes more important in preserving SOM in deep soils. These insights offer valuable information for models to predict multi-layer soil carbon dynamics more accurately in changing environments.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Lisa Broeder, Kirsi Keskitalo, Scott Zolkos, Sarah Shakil, Suzanne E. Tank, Steve Kokelj, Tommaso Tesi, Bart E. van Dongen, Negar Haghipour, Timothy Eglinton, Jorien E. Vonk
Summary: Enhanced warming in the Northern high latitudes has intensified thermokarst processes, particularly evident in retrogressive thaw slumps (RTS) in the permafrost zone. Analysis of sediment properties and organic matter composition in different soil layers and mobilized materials from RTS features in the Peel Plateau, Canada indicated that organic matter degradation and hydrodynamic sorting play key roles in influencing the mobilized material. Organic constituents and grain sizes varied between active layer, debris, and runoff deposits, suggesting the need for further research on the impact of intensifying RTS activity on CO2 release and ecosystem carbon fluxes.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Donghai Wu, Xiangtao Xu, Haicheng Zhang
Summary: The study found that plant input plays a crucial role in the persistence of topsoil carbon in alpine grasslands, while precipitation also has a significant impact on topsoil Delta C-14. These results offer an alternative perspective on the drivers of soil carbon turnover.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Estefania Munoz, Ingrid Chanca, Carlos A. Sierra
Summary: The response of terrestrial ecosystems to increased CO2 concentrations is not fully understood. Although there is consensus that increased CO2 affects instant processes, such as photosynthesis, uncertainties remain regarding the fate of assimilated carbon. This study proposes the use of transit time distributions to assess the fate of newly assimilated carbon and calls for its adoption to improve our understanding of ecosystem responses to increased CO2.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Bin Niu, Qiuyu Chen, Hongzhe Jiao, Xiaoqin Yang, Ming Shao, Jian Wang, Guicai Si, Tianzhu Lei, Yibo Yang, Gengxin Zhang, Georg Guggenberger
Summary: Mineral-associated organic matter (MAOM) is the largest soil carbon pool, but the understanding of different organo-mineral fractions and their response to environmental variables is limited. In this study, sequential chemical extraction was used to separate MAOM fractions and alpine forest soils were selected to assess their response to climate change. Residual and weakly adsorbed organic matter were the primary fractions, and climate indirectly affected their preservation through weathering and environmental factors. The organo-mineral fractions were closely associated with metal cations and secondary minerals, forming complex networks. Water-soluble, weakly adsorbed, and Fe/Al oxyhydroxide-stabilized organic matter played central roles in the networks and were related to soil pH, moisture, and microbial composition. Additionally, climate and weathering factors greatly impacted Fe/Al-OM complexes, oxyhydroxide-stabilized organic matter, and residual organic matter. The complex network among organo-mineral fractions provides insights into MAOM preservation under climate change.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Julia Steinbach, Henry Holmstrand, Kseniia Shcherbakova, Denis Kosmach, Volker Bruchert, Natalia Shakhova, Anatoly Salyuk, Celia J. Sapart, Denis Chernykh, Riko Noormets, Igor Semiletov, Orjan Gustafsson
Summary: The study investigates the sources of methane release in the East Siberian Arctic Shelf, indicating a significant contribution from submerged carbon and methane. Methane concentrations in the Laptev Sea showed large fluctuations and isotopic composition suggested a thermogenic/natural gas source in two seepage areas, with methane oxidation occurring further from the seeps. This knowledge is crucial for predicting future methane emissions in the region.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jeffrey Beem-Miller, Marion Schrumpf, Alison M. Hoyt, Georg Guggenberger, Susan Trumbore
Summary: The study shows that air-drying and rewetting of soils significantly affect increment C-14-CO2, especially with stronger impacts on grassland soils. Storage duration does not have a substantial effect. Air-drying and rewetting mobilize a slightly older pool of carbon accessible to microbes, with this effect persisting throughout the incubation period.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-BIOGEOSCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Xiaofei Lu, Enqing Hou, Jieyun Guo, Frank S. Gilliam, Jianlong Li, Songbo Tang, Yuanwen Kuang
Summary: The study highlights that nitrogen enrichment can increase the diameter of soil aggregates, proportion of macroaggregates, and affect macroaggregate C significantly; in addition, N enrichment can lead to soil acidification and is correlated with aggregate C. Despite the varied effects on soil aggregation depending on ecosystem type and fertilization regime, overall, it enhances the formation of soil aggregates and their sequestration of organic C.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Edward Tipping, Jessica L. Elias, Patrick O. Keenan, Rachel C. Helliwell, Nikolai Pedentchouk, Richard J. Cooper, Sarah Buckingham, Egil Gjessing, Philippa Ascough, Charlotte L. Bryant, Mark H. Garnett
Summary: This study investigated the concentrations and properties of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in rivers in relation to terrestrial source solutions at a global scale. The study found significant differences in DOC concentrations and properties among different terrestrial sources, which were explained by optimizing the simulated riverine variables and combinations of source waters. In rivers draining forests and grass-shrub land cover, most of the DOC comes from topsoil and subsoil, with a small contribution from groundwater. In cropland rivers, subsoil and groundwater are the dominant sources of DOC, while in wetland rivers, most of the DOC is from topsoil.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Shuo Yin, Junjian Wang, Tianfang Yu, Mingqi Wang, Yixuan Wu, Hui Zeng
Summary: This study clarified the spatial distributions and driving factors of soil carbon fractions in a mangrove forest in Southeast China, emphasizing the importance of soil total nitrogen content and pH in affecting carbon storage. The results indicated that landward distance, soil nutrients, pH, bulk density, and plant biomass all played important roles in influencing the different components of soil carbon fractions. Additionally, soil depth also had indirect effects on the soil carbon fractions through changes in soil nutrients, pH, clay, and salinity.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Yongxing Cui, Shushi Peng, Manuel Delgado-Baquerizo, Matthias C. Rillig, Cesar Terrer, Biao Zhu, Xin Jing, Ji Chen, Jinquan Li, Jiao Feng, Yue He, Linchuan Fang, Daryl L. Moorhead, Robert L. Sinsabaugh, Josep Penuelas
Summary: This study provides the first global estimates of soil microbial carbon limitation, challenging the conventional hypothesis of ubiquitous C limitation. It also highlights the importance of plant litter as a dominant carbon source for microbial acquisition and the significant influence of latitudinal patterns on predicted carbon limitation.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Soil Science
Xinliang Wu, Chongfa Cai, Zaijian Yuan, Dingqiang Li, Jinxing Zhou, Chao Huang
Summary: This study aimed to explore the geographic evolution mechanisms of soil organic matter (SOM) from the perspective of soil intrinsic properties. The results showed that soil horizon, soil type, and land use significantly influenced the indicators of SOM. Besides traditional predictors, soil structural properties had the greatest impact on SOM. This study unravels the direct and indirect effects of climate on SOM and highlights the predominant roles of soil structural properties at the regional scale.
SOIL & TILLAGE RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Marshall D. McDaniel, Jeffrey A. Bird, Jennifer Pett-Ridge, Erika Marin-Spiotta, Tom M. Schmidt, A. Stuart Grandy
Summary: Managing soil to retain new plant inputs is crucial for sustainable and regenerative agriculture. This study examined how diversifying and perennializing agroecosystems can decrease losses of new plant residue inputs and increase retention of carbon and nitrogen in the soil. It found that extended rotations and grassland restoration had significant effects on residue decomposition and retention dynamics.
ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Caitlin E. E. Hicks Pries, Richard Lankau, Grace Anne Ingham, Eva Legge, Owen Krol, Jodi Forrester, Amelia Fitch, Nina Wurzburger
Summary: As global change alters the species composition of forests, understanding the effects of tree species characteristics on soil organic matter cycling is crucial for predicting soil carbon storage. Recent studies have suggested that whether a tree species forms a symbiosis with arbuscular (AM) or ectomycorrhizal (EcM) fungi can strongly influence soil carbon storage, but there is variability within EcM systems. This study investigated how mycorrhizal associations and the species composition of canopy trees and mycorrhizal fungi relate to soil carbon and nitrogen content and the carbon to nitrogen ratio in four different sites. The findings showed that soil properties were strongly correlated with the composition of canopy trees and fungal species, rather than simply the presence of AM or EcM symbiosis.
Article
Agronomy
Kimber C. C. Moreland, Morgan E. E. Barnes, Anthony O'Geen, Nicholas Dove, Stephen C. C. Hart, Asmeret Asefaw Berhe
Summary: The study investigated the impact of climate on nitrogen (N) accumulation and persistence in soil and saprock. Results showed that N concentration decreased with depth in both bulk soil and density fractions. More N was found in saprock in cooler/wetter environments. Mineral-associated heavy fraction (HF) N was more abundant in deeper samples. Climate significantly influenced the persistence of both unprotected and occluded N in soil. In drier/hotter climates, soil N had a shorter mean residence time (MRT).
JOURNAL OF PLANT NUTRITION AND SOIL SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Lauren D. D. Somers, Alison Hoyt, Alexander R. R. Cobb, Suhailah Isnin, Muhammad Asri Akmal bin Haji Suhip, Rahayu S. S. Sukri, Laure Gandois, Charles Harvey
Summary: Most peat domes in Southeast Asia have drainage canals that carry high concentrations of dissolved methane, which can potentially contribute to atmospheric methane emissions. This study used a numerical model to simulate methane transport, degassing, and oxidation along a drainage canal in Brunei Darussalam. The results showed that the majority of methane entering the canal is oxidized within the canal, a portion is released to the atmosphere, and a small fraction is transported towards the ocean. The methane emissions from the canal are significant compared to emissions from the peat surface and vegetation, but the canal is not the dominant source of methane in the peatland.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-BIOGEOSCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Alison K. Tune, Jennifer L. Druhan, Corey R. Lawrence, Daniella M. Rempe
Summary: This study investigates the oxidation of organic carbon in sedimentary bedrock and finds that the actual oxidation rate in the field is much lower than the rate achieved in laboratory experiments. Physical accessibility of organic carbon is found to be a key factor influencing oxidation, and respiration of recently fixed carbon from deep rooting dominates CO2 production.
EARTH AND PLANETARY SCIENCE LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Amelia A. Fitch, Ashley K. Lang, Emily D. Whalen, Eliza M. Helmers, Sarah G. Goldsmith, Caitlin Hicks Pries
Summary: Forests in the northeastern US are facing shifts in community composition due to the northward migration of warm-adapted tree species and declines of certain species caused by invasive insects. These changes will impact belowground fungal communities and their associated functions. This study examined the importance of mycorrhizal type and leaf habit on soil fungal communities and organic matter cycling. Results showed that each tree species had distinct fungal communities and mycorrhizal type was a better predictor of fungal communities. Saprotrophic fungi played a significant role in shaping fungal community differences in soils beneath all tree species.
Article
Ecology
Richard B. Primack, Tara K. Miller, Carina Terry, Erika Marin-Spiotta, Pamela H. Templer, Asmeret Asefaw Berhe, Emily J. Diaz Vallejo, Meredith G. Hastings, Vicki J. Magley, Allison Mattheis, Blair B. Schneider, Rebecca T. Barnes
Summary: Hostile workplaces undermine efforts to make the ecological sciences more inclusive and welcoming, as revealed in survey responses by members of the Ecological Society of America (ESA) and subscribers to the ECOLOG-L listserv. Historically excluded groups in ecology, including scientists of color, women, LGBQPA+ individuals, and those with disabilities, were 1.5 times more likely to encounter negative workplace experiences compared to their counterparts. They were also more likely to opt out of professional opportunities, consider leaving their institution, and consider a career change. Recommendations are provided for addressing interpersonal mistreatment through culture and policy changes.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Soil Science
A. F. Plante, J. Sanderman, C. H. Asanopoulos, S. Bell, J. Baldock
Summary: Although many advanced analytical methods have been used to study soil organic matter (SOM), its highly complex and heterogeneous chemical composition remains elusive. Analytical thermal analysis, such as differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and evolved gas analysis (EGA), can provide valuable insights into SOM characterization. This study aimed to enhance the interpretation of DSC and EGA results using spectral correlations with solid-phase ^13C NMR data. The comparisons between well-understood NMR spectra and less-understood DSC and EGA thermograms shed light on the combustion temperatures of different chemical compounds in SOM.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Mario Reichenbach, Peter Fiener, Alison Hoyt, Susan Trumbore, Johan Six, Sebastian Doetterl
Summary: Soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics in deeply weathered tropical soils are not well understood. In this study, we compared SOC stocks and turnover in montane tropical forest and cropland. We found that land use did not significantly alter SOC, but differences in SOC could be explained by soil physicochemical properties. Labile organo-mineral associations and exchangeable base cations were identified as the main controls over SOC stocks and turnover. Our findings suggest that increasing C inputs in deeply weathered soils may not lead to long-term SOC stabilization.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Manichanh Satdichanh, Gbadamassi G. O. Dossa, Kai Yan, Kyle W. Tomlinson, Kasey E. Barton, Susan E. Crow, Leigh Winowiecki, Tor-G Vagen, Jianchu Xu, Rhett D. Harrison
Summary: Soil organic matter contributes to productivity and contains more carbon than the atmosphere. Understanding SOC sequestration during forest succession is limited. Our study investigated the effects of plant diversity, functional traits, phylogenetic diversity, above-ground biomass, and environmental factors on SOC sequestration. Our results suggest that increasing functional trait diversity through a trait-based approach can enhance SOC sequestration and accelerate soil recovery.
JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Etienne Fluet-Chouinard, Benjamin D. Stocker, Zhen Zhang, Avni Malhotra, Joe R. Melton, Benjamin Poulter, Jed O. Kaplan, Kees Klein Goldewijk, Stefan Siebert, Tatiana Minayeva, Gustaf Hugelius, Hans Joosten, Alexandra Barthelmes, Catherine Prigent, Filipe Aires, Alison M. Hoyt, Nick Davidson, C. Max Finlayson, Bernhard Lehner, Robert B. Jackson, Peter B. McIntyre
Summary: Wetlands have been drained for human use, causing significant impact on multiple aspects including greenhouse gas fluxes, flood control, nutrient cycling, and biodiversity. However, the extent of natural wetland loss globally has remained uncertain. In this study, the researchers reconstructed the spatial distribution and timing of wetland loss from 1700 to 2020, and estimated that approximately 3.4 million km2 of inland wetlands, primarily for croplands, have been lost since 1700, accounting for a net loss of 21% of global wetland area. The study highlights the concentration of wetland loss in Europe, the United States, and China, and provides a valuable historical baseline for assessing the impact of wetland loss and guiding conservation planning and restoration efforts.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Erika Marin-Spiotta, Emily J. J. Diaz-Vallejo, Rebecca T. T. Barnes, Allison Mattheis, Blair Schneider, Asmeret Asefaw Berhe, Meredith G. G. Hastings, Billy M. M. Williams, Vicki Magley
Summary: Geosciences remains a field with low diversity, and efforts to address this issue should focus on creating inclusive and supportive work and learning environments. A workplace climate survey conducted among five professional organizations revealed diverse experiences among earth and space scientists. While most scientists reported positive interactions, those belonging to marginalized groups, such as people of color, women, and members of the LGBTQ+ community, faced more negative interactions, including mistreatment, discriminatory remarks, and sexual harassment.
Article
Soil Science
Emma Hauser, Jon Chorover, Charles W. Cook, Daniel Markewitz, Craig Rasmussen, Daniel D. Richter, Sharon A. Billings
Summary: Nearly 50 years ago, Walker and Syers proposed the hypothesis that the sources of most terrestrial nutrients shift from mineral to organic matter as soils weather over millennia. By combining this soil development framework with vegetation dynamics, we investigated how it offers insights into ecosystem functioning. Our findings suggest that the dominant sources of tree phosphorus may shift from organic matter to minerals as roots expand during forest growth and encounter deeper soils. This highlights the importance of the interaction between dominant phosphorus form and root system growth for ecosystem phosphorus nutrition and soil development.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Katherina A. Kang, Erika Marin-Spiotta, Elliot Vaughan, C. Reid Ferring, Alexandra G. Ponette-Gonzalez
Summary: This study evaluates the effects of black carbon (BC) and vegetation cover on soil carbon pools in a medium-sized city in Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas. The results show that soil organic carbon (SOC) concentrations are higher under trees compared to open lawns, while BC and total nitrogen (TN) do not differ by vegetation cover. Furthermore, road density and building age have significant effects on soil BC concentrations and stock in tree soils.
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2023)
