Tillage has been reported to reduce organic matter concentrations and increase organic matter turnover rates to a variable extent. The change of soil climate and the incorporation of aboveground C inputs within the soil lead to no unique effect on biodegradation rates, because of their strong interaction with the regional climate and the soil physical properties. The periodical perturbation of soil structure by tools and the subsequent drying±rewetting cycles may be the major factor increasing organic matter decomposition rates by exposing the organic matter that is physically protected in microaggregates to biodegradation. This paper reviews the assessed effects of tillage on organic matter, the scale, extent and mechanisms of physical protection of organic matter in soils. #

The rhizosphere is active and dynamic in which newly generated carbon, derived from root exudates, and ancient carbon, in soil organic matter (SOM), are available for microbial growth. Stable isotope probing (SIP) was used to determine bacterial communities assimilating each carbon source in the rhizosphere of four plant species. Wheat, maize, rape and barrel clover (Medicago truncatula) were grown separately in the same soil under 13 CO 2 (99% of atom 13 C) and DNA extracted from rhizosphere soil was fractionated by isopycnic centrifugation. Bacteria-assimilating root exudates were characterized by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis of 13 C-DNA and root DNA, whereas those assimilating SOM were identified from 12 C-DNA. Plant species root exudates significantly shaped rhizosphere bacterial community structure. Bacteria related to Sphingobacteriales and Myxococcus assimilated root exudates in colonizing roots of all four plants, whwereas bacteria related to Sphingomonadales utilized both carbon sources, and were identified in light, heavy and root compartment DNA. Sphingomonadales were specific to monocotyledons, whereas bacteria related to Enterobacter and Rhizobiales colonized all compartments of all four plants, used both fresh and ancient carbon and were considered as generalists. There was also evidence for an indirect important impact of root exudates, through stimulation of SOM assimilation by a diverse bacterial community.