No abstract

The operationally defined fraction of soil organic matter (SOM), glomalinrelated soil protein (GRSP), has been reported to be particularly stable. This is the first study to test this hypothesis. Archived soil has been used from the long-term bare fallow trial, known as the 42-Plots, in Versailles, France. With no input from plants for 80 years, changes in GRSP must result from either turnover of SOM or net mineralization. Intrinsically, stability of protein would lead to progressive enrichment in GRSP. Soils from treatments that