Mineral reactivity determines root effects on soil organic carbon
Abstract Modern conceptual models of soil organic carbon (SOC) cycling focus heavily on the microbe-mineral interactions that regulate C stabilization. However, the formation of ‘stable’ (i.e. slowly cycling) soil organic matter, which consists mainly of microbial residues associated with mineral su...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2023-08-01
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| Series: | Nature Communications |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-40768-y |
| _version_ | 1797558652236726272 |
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| author | Guopeng Liang John Stark Bonnie Grace Waring |
| author_facet | Guopeng Liang John Stark Bonnie Grace Waring |
| author_sort | Guopeng Liang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Modern conceptual models of soil organic carbon (SOC) cycling focus heavily on the microbe-mineral interactions that regulate C stabilization. However, the formation of ‘stable’ (i.e. slowly cycling) soil organic matter, which consists mainly of microbial residues associated with mineral surfaces, is inextricably linked to C loss through microbial respiration. Therefore, what is the net impact of microbial metabolism on the total quantity of C held in the soil? To address this question, we constructed artificial root-soil systems to identify controls on C cycling across the plant-microbe-mineral continuum, simultaneously quantifying the formation of mineral-associated C and SOC losses to respiration. Here we show that root exudates and minerals interacted to regulate these processes: while roots stimulated respiratory C losses and depleted mineral-associated C pools in low-activity clays, root exudates triggered formation of stable C in high-activity clays. Moreover, we observed a positive correlation between the formation of mineral-associated C and respiration. This suggests that the growth of slow-cycling C pools comes at the expense of C loss from the system. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T17:34:52Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5903a0a405354669b3fc1157372f6ddc |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2041-1723 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T17:34:52Z |
| publishDate | 2023-08-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nature Communications |
| spelling | doaj.art-5903a0a405354669b3fc1157372f6ddc2023-11-20T09:53:50ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232023-08-0114111010.1038/s41467-023-40768-yMineral reactivity determines root effects on soil organic carbonGuopeng Liang0John Stark1Bonnie Grace Waring2Department of Biology, Utah State UniversityDepartment of Biology, Utah State UniversityDepartment of Biology, Utah State UniversityAbstract Modern conceptual models of soil organic carbon (SOC) cycling focus heavily on the microbe-mineral interactions that regulate C stabilization. However, the formation of ‘stable’ (i.e. slowly cycling) soil organic matter, which consists mainly of microbial residues associated with mineral surfaces, is inextricably linked to C loss through microbial respiration. Therefore, what is the net impact of microbial metabolism on the total quantity of C held in the soil? To address this question, we constructed artificial root-soil systems to identify controls on C cycling across the plant-microbe-mineral continuum, simultaneously quantifying the formation of mineral-associated C and SOC losses to respiration. Here we show that root exudates and minerals interacted to regulate these processes: while roots stimulated respiratory C losses and depleted mineral-associated C pools in low-activity clays, root exudates triggered formation of stable C in high-activity clays. Moreover, we observed a positive correlation between the formation of mineral-associated C and respiration. This suggests that the growth of slow-cycling C pools comes at the expense of C loss from the system.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-40768-y |
| spellingShingle | Guopeng Liang John Stark Bonnie Grace Waring Mineral reactivity determines root effects on soil organic carbon Nature Communications |
| title | Mineral reactivity determines root effects on soil organic carbon |
| title_full | Mineral reactivity determines root effects on soil organic carbon |
| title_fullStr | Mineral reactivity determines root effects on soil organic carbon |
| title_full_unstemmed | Mineral reactivity determines root effects on soil organic carbon |
| title_short | Mineral reactivity determines root effects on soil organic carbon |
| title_sort | mineral reactivity determines root effects on soil organic carbon |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-40768-y |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT guopengliang mineralreactivitydeterminesrooteffectsonsoilorganiccarbon AT johnstark mineralreactivitydeterminesrooteffectsonsoilorganiccarbon AT bonniegracewaring mineralreactivitydeterminesrooteffectsonsoilorganiccarbon |