Source and turnover of organic matter in agricultural soils derived from n-alkane/n-carboxylic acid compositions and C-isotope signatures

Wiesenberg, Guido L. B.; Schwarzbauer, Jan; Schmidt, Michael W.; Schwark, Lorenz

doi:10.1016/s0146-6380(04)00122-6

Cited by 173 publications

(86 citation statements)

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“…They have a faster turnover in arable soils than the long-chain n-alkanes, which are also mainly plantderived ( Fig. 3; Wiesenberg et al, 2004b). The calculation of turnover times using δ 13 C analyses of the weighted averages of the most abundant carboxylic acid homologues was consistent with estimates based on compositional changes between C3 and C4 plants (e.g., .…”

Section: Extractable Lipidssupporting

confidence: 70%

Storage and stability of organic matter and fossil carbon in a Luvisol and Phaeozem with continuous maize cropping: A synthesis

Flessa

Amelung

Helfrich

et al. 2008

Z. Pflanzenernähr. Bodenk.

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Quantitative information about the amount and stability of organic carbon (OC) in different soil organic-matter (OM) fractions and in specific organic compounds and compound-classes is needed to improve our understanding of organic-matter sequestration in soils. In the present paper, we summarize and integrate results performed on two different arable soils with continuous maize cropping (a) Stagnic Luvisol with maize cropping for 24 y, b) Luvic Phaeozem with maize cropping for 39 y) to identify (1) the storage of OC in different soil organic-matter fractions, (2) the function of these fractions with respect to soil-OC stabilization, (3) the importance and partitioning of fossil-C deposits, and (4) the rates of soil-OC stabilization as assessed by compound-specific isotope analyses. The fractionation procedures included particle-size fractionation, density fractionation, aggregate fractionation, acid hydrolysis, different oxidation procedures, isolation of extractable lipids and phospholipid fatty acids, pyrolysis, and the determination of black C. Stability of OC was determined by 13 C and 14 C analyses. The main inputs of OC were plant litter (both sites) and deposition of fossil C likely from coal combustion and lignite dust (only Phaeozem). Total soil OC stocks down to a depth of 65 cm (7.83 kg m -2 in the Luvisol and 9.66 kg m -2 in the Phaeozem) consisted mainly of mineral-bound OC (87% of total SOC in the Luvisol and 69% in the Phaeozem). In the Luvisol, free light particulate OM, OM associated with sand and coarse silt, and particulate OM occluded in macro-aggregates represented SOM fractions with mean turnover times shorter than that of the bulk soil OC (54 y). Additionally, the turnover of all individual compounds or compound classes (except for black carbon) was faster than that of bulk soil OC. These OM fractions that were less stable than the bulk soil OM made up 13% to 20% of the total OC. Organic matter in fine and medium silt and clay fractions, particulate OM occluded in micro-aggregates (53-250 lm) and OM resistant to acid hydrolysis had intermediate turnover times of about 50-100 y. These fractions with intermediate turnover times contributed 70%-80% to total soil OC. Passive OM with turnover times >200 y was isolated from the mineral-bound OM by different oxidation procedures (H 2 O 2 , Na 2 S 2 O 8 ) and made up ≤10% of the total OC. The isotopic signature of PLFAs suggests an efficient recycling of OC derived from C3 substrate. In the Phaeozem, partitioning of maize-derived C exhibited a pattern similar to the Luvisol, but turnover rates of vegetation-derived soil OC were lower, probably because of the considerably smaller input of plant residues. Fossil C contributed approx. 50% to the total OC and accumulated preferentially in the particulate OM occluded in aggregates and in the fine-sand and

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Section: Extractable Lipidssupporting

confidence: 70%

Storage and stability of organic matter and fossil carbon in a Luvisol and Phaeozem with continuous maize cropping: A synthesis

Flessa

Amelung

Helfrich

et al. 2008

Z. Pflanzenernähr. Bodenk.

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“…The determination of compound-specific isotope values is achieved by extraction of the compounds from the soil, purification of the extract, gas-chromatographic (GC) separation, on-line combustion, and separate isotope-ratio-monitoring mass spectrometry of the CO 2 formed from each compound (Schmidt and Gleixner, 1998;Wiesenberg et al, 2004;Kramer and Gleixner, 2006) or by direct thermal extraction of pyrolysis products from soil followed by GC separation of the compounds, combustion, and isotope-ratio determination (Gleixner et al, 1999). In this paper, data on lipids Wiesenberg and Schwark, 2006) and lignin (Heim and Schmidt, 2007, and unpublished data) and pyrolysis products (Gude et al unpublished) are presented, along with data from size or density fractions .…”

Section: Analysis Of D 13 C Values After Vegetation Changementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Due to the continuous lignite input until approx. 1990 and the high recalcitrance of the material (Rumpel and Kögel-Knabner, 2002), the admixture of this fossil C with a 13 C signature of C3 vegetation is thought to have resulted in considerably overestimated C-turnover times determined by natural 13 C abundance at the Halle site (Rethemeyer et al, 2004b;Wiesenberg et al, 2004). If the fossil-C contribution to total SOC is estimated via 14 C using mass-balance calculation and then excluded from SOM, the corrected turnover times of plant-derived OM show a similar distribution as the 13 C-based data for the Rotthalmünster soil with the slowest turnover of the occluded light OM fraction Rethemeyer et al, 2008).…”

Section: Physical Som Fractionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Distribution patterns and compound-specific isotope data (d 13 C values) of major parts of the most abundant plant lipids (alkanes and carboxylic acids) showed that they vary with plant age and plant organ but are clearly differentiated between C3 and C4 plants (Wiesenberg, 2004;Wiesenberg et al, 2004;Wiesenberg and Schwark, 2006).…”

Section: Specific Compoundsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…8, the replacement of SOC lignin and lipids in various long-term field experiments where a d 13 C label was introduced via crop change or through 13 CO 2 -labeling of plants (FACE experiments) is merged (Wiesenberg, 2004;Wiesenberg et al, 2004;Heim and Schmidt, 2008;Wiesenberg et al, 2008). During the first one or two decades, a fast replacement of C in soils can be observed for grain-cropped soils on a molecular level.…”

Section: Specific Compoundsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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How relevant is recalcitrance for the stabilization of organic matter in soils?

Marschner

Brodowski

Dreves

et al. 2008

Z. Pflanzenernähr. Bodenk.

606

357

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Traditionally, the selective preservation of certain recalcitrant organic compounds and the formation of recalcitrant humic substances have been regarded as an important mechanism for soil organic matter (SOM) stabilization. Based on a critical overview of available methods and on results from a cooperative research program, this paper evaluates how relevant recalcitrance is for the long-term stabilization of SOM or its fractions. Methodologically, recalcitrance is difficult to assess, since the persistence of certain SOM fractions or specific compounds may also be caused by other stabilization mechanisms, such as physical protection or chemical interactions with mineral surfaces. If only free particulate SOM obtained from density fractionation is considered, it rarely reaches ages exceeding 50 y. Older light particles have often been identified as charred plant residues or as fossil C. The degradability of the readily bioavailable dissolved or water-extractable OM fraction is often negatively correlated with its content in aromatic compounds, which therefore has been associated with recalcitrance. But in subsoils, dissolved organic matter aromaticity and biodegradability both are very low, indicating that other factors or compounds limit its degradation. Among the investigated specific compounds, lignin, lipids, and their derivatives have mean turnover times faster or similar as that of bulk SOM. Only a small fraction of the lignin inputs seems to persist in soils and is mainly found in the fine textural size fraction (<20 lm), indicating physico-chemical stabilization. Compound-specific analysis of 13 C : 12 C ratios of SOM pyrolysis products in soils with C3-C4 crop changes revealed no compounds with mean residence times of > 40-50 y, unless fossil C was present in substantial amounts, as at a site exposed to lignite inputs in the past. Here, turnover of pyrolysis products seemed to be much longer, even for those attributed to carbohydrates or proteins. Apparently, fossil C from lignite coal is also utilized by soil organisms, which is further evidenced by low 14 C concentrations in microbial phospholipid fatty acids from this site. Also, black C from charred plant materials was susceptible to microbial degradation in a short-term (60 d) and a long-term (2 y) incubation

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Different composition and distribution patterns of mineral‐protected versus hydrolyzable lipids in shrubland soils

et al. 2017

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Mineral protection is known as an important mechanism stabilizing soil organic carbon (SOC). However, the composition, sources, and variations of mineral‐protected SOC remain poorly constrained. To fill this knowledge gap, we used hydrofluoric acid to demineralize soil matrix and compared the sources and distribution of mineral‐protected lipids (ML) versus hydrolyzable lipids (HL) of four typical Chinese shrubland soils. ML was found to represent a sizable fraction (9–32%) of total aliphatic lipids (including n‐alkanols; n‐alkanoic acids; α,ω‐alkanedioic acids; hydroxyalkanoic acids; and midchain‐substituted acids) in all soils. Based on carbon chain length and branch positions, microbe‐ and plant‐derived lipids were distinguished. No significant difference was found in the ratio of microbe‐ to plant‐derived lipids in ML versus HL, implying that plant and microbial inputs are equally important for the mineral‐associated soil lipids. However, ML contained a higher proportion of nonspecific lipids, especially at depths. Furthermore, to evaluate key environmental variable(s) controlling the distribution of different lipid components, a multiple stepwise regression analysis was conducted. Notably, ML was mainly affected by SOC‐to‐nitrogen ratio instead of mineralogical properties, implying that the accrual of mineral‐associated soil lipids relies strongly on organic matter properties. Collectively, our findings provide novel insights on sources and accumulation mechanisms of mineral‐protected soil lipids. SOC decomposition and subsequent accretion of degradation products appear to be vital for the sequestration of mineral‐associated soil lipids and warrant better recognition in the investigations of stable soil carbon accumulation mechanisms.

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Source and turnover of organic matter in agricultural soils derived from n-alkane/n-carboxylic acid compositions and C-isotope signatures

Cited by 173 publications

References 0 publications

Storage and stability of organic matter and fossil carbon in a Luvisol and Phaeozem with continuous maize cropping: A synthesis

Storage and stability of organic matter and fossil carbon in a Luvisol and Phaeozem with continuous maize cropping: A synthesis

How relevant is recalcitrance for the stabilization of organic matter in soils?

Different composition and distribution patterns of mineral‐protected versus hydrolyzable lipids in shrubland soils

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