Population dynamics of Agriophyllum squarrosum along an ecosystem restoration chronosequence in the Tengger Desert, China: Indication implications for desertification combating

Divergent changes of carbon and nitrogen in the density fractions of soil organic matter after revegetation in the Tengger Desert, north China

“…Although revegetation‐mediated OC and N sequestration has been widely demonstrated (Hoogmoed et al, 2012; Li, Li, et al, 2022; Xu et al, 2020), whether OC and N can be effectively stabilized or will remain vulnerable to decomposition requires further study (Cotrufo et al, 2019; Falloon & Smith, 2000), and data from chronosequence studies suggests that the OC sequestration potential of soils is far less than commonly assumed (Rovira & Vallejo, 2003; Schlesinger, 1990). Previous studies have focused on the dynamics of the total OC and N concentrations and stocks in bulk soil (e.g., Ma et al, 2021; Li, Li, et al, 2022), but abundant evidence has indicated that the mechanisms that stabilize SOM cannot be understood by treating it as a single, homogeneous entity because SOM consists of multiple functional fractions varying in decomposability and controlling factors (Abrar et al, 2020; Lavallee et al, 2020; Yang et al, 2018), and the increase of labile fractions and the decrease of recalcitrant fractions may not lead to the change in bulk OC and N pools, or vice versa (Wen et al, 2017). Bulk soil inventories have limited insights for predicting long‐term OC and N dynamics and functions, hindering the accurate assessment of revegetation impacts on the stability of SOM reservoirs and C/N‐climate feedback (Lugato et al, 2021).…”