Soil organic carbon response to global environmental change depends on its distribution between mineral-associated and particulate organic matter: A meta-analysis

Rocci, Katherine S.; Lavallee, Jocelyn M.; Stewart, Catherine E.; Cotrufo, M. Francesca

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.148569

Cited by 178 publications

(96 citation statements)

References 94 publications

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“…Previous investigations using bulk Δ 14 C may have failed to find significant relationships among bulk C stocks and bulk Δ 14 C and climate (Doetterl et al, 2015; Mathieu et al, 2015) because the whole soil response is the summation of the responses of its fractions, which can have opposing relationships with climate factors. The fact that the fractions exhibited different relationships to climate variables strongly suggests that partitioning bulk soil organic C into pools based on protection mechanisms is integral to understanding and predicting its response to climate change (Rocci et al, 2021).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A recent meta-analysis of warming studies (Rocci et al, 2021) supports the assertion that increasing temperature will not reduce stabilized C pools-particulate C decreased more than mineralassociated C in response to warming. Sorption to mineral surfaces and occlusion within the small pores of soil aggregates protect C from microbial enzymatic attack and may render the associated C less sensitive to warming (Gentsch et al, 2018).…”

Section: % Mineral-associated C Densitymentioning

confidence: 95%

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Beyond bulk: Density fractions explain heterogeneity in global soil carbon abundance and persistence

Heckman

Pries

Lawrence

et al. 2021

Global Change Biology

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Understanding the controls on the amount and persistence of soil organic carbon (C) is essential for predicting its sensitivity to global change. The response may depend on whether C is unprotected, isolated within aggregates, or protected from decomposition by mineral associations. Here, we present a global synthesis of the relative influence of environmental factors on soil organic C partitioning among pools, abundance in each pool (mg C g −1 soil), and persistence (as approximated by radiocarbon abundance) in relatively unprotected particulate and protected mineral-bound pools. We show that C within particulate and mineral-associated pools consistently | 1179 HECKMAN Et Al.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: % Mineral-associated C Densitymentioning

confidence: 95%

Beyond bulk: Density fractions explain heterogeneity in global soil carbon abundance and persistence

Heckman

Pries

Lawrence

et al. 2021

Global Change Biology

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“…In case studies, SOC fractions are separated by density or particle size. Following previous studies, we grouped soil fraction with density lighter than 1.6–1.85 g cm −3 or particle‐size larger than 53 μm into POC, and grouped soil fraction with density heavier than 1.6–1.85 g cm −3 or particle‐size smaller than 53 μm into MAOC (Lavallee et al, 2020; Rocci et al, 2021). Despite the differences in manipulations, the same fractions (POC or MAOC) separated by density and particle size have similar characteristics, for example, C contents and turnover rates (Lavallee et al, 2020; von Lützow et al, 2007; Poeplau et al, 2018).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Changes in plant inputs alter soil carbon and microbial communities in forest ecosystems

Feng

Zhang

et al. 2022

Global Change Biology

132

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Global changes can alter plant inputs from both above-and belowground, which, thus, may differently affect soil carbon and microbial communities. However, the general patterns of how plant input changes affect them in forests remain unclear. By conducting a meta-analysis of 3193 observations from 166 experiments worldwide, we found that alterations in aboveground litter and/or root inputs had profound effects on soil carbon and microbial communities in forest ecosystems. Litter addition stimulated soil organic carbon (SOC) pools and microbial biomass, whereas removal of litter, roots or both (no inputs) decreased them. The increased SOC under litter addition suggested that aboveground litter inputs benefit SOC sequestration despite accelerated decomposition. Unlike root removal, litter alterations and no inputs altered particulate organic carbon, whereas all detrital treatments did not significantly change mineral-associated organic carbon. In addition, detrital treatments contrastingly altered soil microbial community, with litter addition or removal shifting it toward fungi, whereas root removal shifting it toward bacteria. Furthermore, the responses of soil carbon and microbial biomass to litter alterations positively correlated with litter input rate and total litter input, suggesting that litter input quantity is a critical controller of belowground processes. Taken together, these findings provide critical insights into understanding how altered plant productivity and allocation affects soil carbon cycling, microbial communities and functioning of forest ecosystems under global changes. Future studies can take full advantage of the existing plant detritus experiments and should focus on the relative roles of litter and roots in forming SOC and its fractions.

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“…Below, we review the MAOM-C concentrations and MAOM-C:SOC ratios for major terrestrial biomes. We also review results from manipulative climate change experiments, including a recent meta-analysis (Rocci et al, 2021), and draw on our trait framework to hypothesize the direction of biome-specific MAOM responses to climate change.…”

Section: B Iome-le Vel Dis Tribution Of Miner Al-a Sso Ciated Org Ani...mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In grasslands, recent meta‐analyses suggest that warming has an overall neutral effect on MAOM, whereas eCO 2 and increased precipitation enhance both MAOM and total SOM pools (Rocci et al, 2021; Terrer et al., 2021; Figure S1). Due to these interacting climate change factors, we hypothesize a modest overall increase in MAOM‐C, and a neutral to modest increase in total SOC in temperate grasslands under climate change (Table 2).…”

Section: Biome‐level Distribution Of Mineral‐associated Organic Matte...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Global distribution, formation and fate of mineral‐associated soil organic matter under a changing climate: A trait‐based perspective

et al. 2022

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Soil organic matter (SOM) is the largest actively cycling reservoir of terrestrial carbon (C), and the majority of SOM in Earth's mineral soils (~65%) is mineral‐associated organic matter (MAOM). Thus, the formation and fate of MAOM can exert substantial influence on the global C cycle. To predict future changes to Earth's climate, it is critical to mechanistically understand the processes by which MAOM is formed and decomposed, and to accurately represent this process‐based understanding in biogeochemical and Earth system models. In this review, we use a trait‐based framework to synthesize the interacting roles of plants, soil micro‐organisms, and the mineral matrix in regulating MAOM formation and decomposition. Our proposed framework differentiates between plant and microbial traits that influence total OM inputs to the soil (‘feedstock traits’) versus traits that influence the proportion of OM inputs that are ultimately incorporated into MAOM (‘MAOM formation traits’). We discuss how these feedstock and MAOM formation traits may be altered by warming, altered precipitation and elevated carbon dioxide. At a planetary scale, these feedstock and MAOM formation traits help shape the distribution of MAOM across Earth's biomes, and modulate biome‐specific responses of MAOM to climate change. We leverage a global synthesis of MAOM measurements to provide estimates of the total amount of MAOM‐C globally (~840–1540 Pg C; 34%–51% of total terrestrial organic C), and its distribution across Earth's biomes. We show that MAOM‐C concentration is highest in temperate forests and grasslands, and lowest in shrublands and savannas. Grasslands and croplands have the highest proportion of soil organic carbon (SOC) in the MAOM fraction (i.e. the MAOM‐C:SOC ratio), while boreal forests and tundra have the lowest MAOM‐C:SOC ratio. Drawing on our trait framework, we then review experimental data and posit the effects of climate change on MAOM pools in different biomes. We conclude by discussing how MAOM is integrated into soil C models, and how feedstock and MAOM formation traits may be included in these models. We also summarize the projected fate of MAOM under climate change scenarios (Representative Concentration Pathways 4.5 and 8.5) and discuss key model uncertainties. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

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Soil organic carbon response to global environmental change depends on its distribution between mineral-associated and particulate organic matter: A meta-analysis

Cited by 178 publications

References 94 publications

Beyond bulk: Density fractions explain heterogeneity in global soil carbon abundance and persistence

Beyond bulk: Density fractions explain heterogeneity in global soil carbon abundance and persistence

Changes in plant inputs alter soil carbon and microbial communities in forest ecosystems

Global distribution, formation and fate of mineral‐associated soil organic matter under a changing climate: A trait‐based perspective

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