A soil matrix capacity index to predict mineral-associated but not particulate organic carbon across a range of climate and soil pH

King, Aaron A.; Amsili, Joseph P.; Córdova, S. Carolina; Culman, Steve W.; Fonte, Steven J.; Kotcon, James B.; Liebig, Mark A.; Masters, Michael D.; McVay, Kent; Olk, Daniel C.; Schipanski, Meagan; Schneider, Sharon K.; Stewart, Catherine E.; Cotrufo, M. Francesca

doi:10.1007/s10533-023-01066-3

Cited by 15 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 46 publications

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“…Despite our above findings, we note that our path analyses explained only 12.3%, 20.5%, and 12.3% of the variation in POC, MAOC, and bulk SOC storage, respectively (Figure 3; Table S3), indicating that the climate, C input, and soil property variables we included in our analyses were not sufficient to describe global patterns of SOC storage. Several recent studies demonstrate that additional soil physicochemical properties not included in this study, especially exchangeable Ca and Fe‐ and Al‐hydroxides, are better predictors of MAOC storage than % sand alone (King et al., 2023; Kirsten et al., 2021; Rowley et al., 2021). Microbial traits including mycorrhizal type (Craig et al., 2018; Horsch et al., 2023; Keller et al., 2021) and transformation efficiency may be additional modulators of both SOC fraction storage and f MAOC , though the majority of studies on microbial transformations have focused primarily on their effects on microbial‐derived MAOC (e.g., Craig et al., 2022; Ernakovich et al., 2021; Kallenbach et al., 2016; Liang et al., 2019).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 92%

“…Additionally, there could be interactions between the soil matrix and plant productivity not explored in this study that contribute to greater MAOC storage. For instance, recent work indicates that increased soil mineral capacity index (MCI) leads to both greater plant productivity and MAOC storage (King et al., 2023). As Fe and Ca, key components of this MCI, are essential plant nutrients and important for mineral stabilization, factors that promote plant productivity may also promote MAOC stabilization and storage (King et al., 2023; but see Fuhrmann & Zuberer, 2021; Ramos et al., 2018).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For instance, recent work indicates that increased soil mineral capacity index (MCI) leads to both greater plant productivity and MAOC storage (King et al., 2023). As Fe and Ca, key components of this MCI, are essential plant nutrients and important for mineral stabilization, factors that promote plant productivity may also promote MAOC stabilization and storage (King et al., 2023; but see Fuhrmann & Zuberer, 2021; Ramos et al., 2018). Similarly, interactions between increased silt and clay content, soil moisture, and plant productivity resulted in higher MAOC storage in dryland soils (Mao et al., in review).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For instance, strong associations with soil mineral surfaces may mean that the capacity of the soil to form mineral bonds with organic C molecules is an additional control on MAOC storage, with higher silt and clay contents leading to greater storage of MAOC (Hassink, 1997; Six et al., 2002). Other physicochemical properties, including exchangeable calcium (Ca) and iron (Fe) and aluminum (Al) hydroxides, may operate as additional controls on MAOC storage (King et al., 2023; Kirsten et al., 2021; Rowley et al., 2021), whose importance to C storage may be mediated by soil moisture and pH (Rasmussen et al., 2018). pH may also control POC storage through its inhibitory effects on microbial activity.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Distinct, direct and climate‐mediated environmental controls on global particulate and mineral‐associated organic carbon storage

Hansen,

Even,

King

et al. 2023

Global Change Biology

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Identifying controls on soil organic carbon (SOC) storage, and where SOC is most vulnerable to loss, are essential to managing soils for both climate change mitigation and global food security. However, we currently lack a comprehensive understanding of the global drivers of SOC storage, especially with regards to particulate (POC) and mineral‐associated organic carbon (MAOC). To better understand hierarchical controls on POC and MAOC, we applied path analyses to SOC fractions, climate (i.e., mean annual temperature [MAT] and mean annual precipitation minus potential evapotranspiration [MAP‐PET]), carbon (C) input (i.e., net primary production [NPP]), and soil property data synthesized from 72 published studies, along with data we generated from the National Ecological Observatory Network soil pits (n = 901 total observations). To assess the utility of investigating POC and MAOC separately in understanding SOC storage controls, we then compared these results with another path analysis predicting bulk SOC storage. We found that POC storage is negatively related to MAT and soil pH, while MAOC storage is positively related to NPP and MAP‐PET, but negatively related to soil % sand. Our path analysis predicting bulk SOC revealed similar trends but explained less variation in C storage than our POC and MAOC analyses. Given that temperature and pH impose constraints on microbial decomposition, this indicates that POC is primarily controlled by SOC loss processes. In contrast, strong relationships with variables related to plant productivity constraints, moisture, and mineral surface availability for sorption indicate that MAOC is primarily controlled by climate‐driven variations in C inputs to the soil, as well as C stabilization mechanisms. Altogether, these results demonstrate that global POC and MAOC storage are controlled by separate environmental variables, further justifying the need to quantify and model these C fractions separately to assess and forecast the responses of SOC storage to global change.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 92%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Distinct, direct and climate‐mediated environmental controls on global particulate and mineral‐associated organic carbon storage

Hansen,

Even,

King

et al. 2023

Global Change Biology

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“…Because MAOM involves sorption to soil mineral surfaces, a large portion is inaccessible to microbes and considered "protected," which confers long-term stabilization, while a smaller portion is "exchangeable" with soil DOM (Kleber et al, 2021). Given these properties, MAOM is generally controlled by input rates and quality (i.e., NPP [EE2] and C:N stoichiometry [EE4]; Cotrufo et al, 2013;Hansen et al, 2024), availability and type of active soil mineral surfaces (i.e., texture and mineralogy; King et al, 2023), and efficiency of microbial transformations (Kallenbach et al, 2015(Kallenbach et al, , 2016. Because of the large contribution of microbially transformed and N-rich organic matter to MAOM, its C:N stoichiometry is consistently lower than POM, averaging C:N of 12.1 ± 0.6 across grazinglands globally-which also suggests that N availability may constrain MAOM formation (Rocci et al, 2022).…”

Section: Soil Biogeochemistry: Impacts Of Grazing On Soc Accumulation...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Ruminating on soil carbon: Applying current understanding to inform grazing management

Stanley,

Wilson,

Patterson

et al. 2024

Global Change Biology

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Among options for atmospheric CO2 removal, sequestering soil organic carbon (SOC) via improved grazing management is a rare opportunity because it is scalable across millions of globally grazed acres, low cost, and has high technical potential. Decades of scientific research on grazing and SOC has failed to form a cohesive understanding of how grazing management affects SOC stocks and their distribution between particulate (POM) and mineral‐associated organic matter (MAOM)—characterized by different formation and stabilization pathways—across different climatic contexts. As we increasingly look to grazing management for SOC sequestration on grazinglands to bolster our climate change mitigation efforts, we need a clear and collective understanding of grazing management's impact on pathways of SOC change to inform on‐the‐ground management decisions. We set out to review the effects of grazing management on SOC through a unified plant ecophysiology and soil biogeochemistry conceptual framework, where elements such as productivity, input quality, soil mineral capacity, and climate variables such as aridity co‐govern SOC accumulation and distribution into POM and MAOM. To maximize applicability to grazingland managers, we discuss how common management levers that drive overall grazing pattern, including timing, intensity, duration, and frequency can be used to optimize mechanistic pathways of SOC sequestration. We discuss important research needs and measurement challenges, and highlight how our conceptual framework can inform more robust research with greater applicability for maximizing the use of grazing management to sequester SOC.

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Distribution and growth potential of wild Pittosporum tobira in the subtropical supratidal zone

Pan,

Wang,

Teng

et al. 2024

Global Ecology and Conservation

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A soil matrix capacity index to predict mineral-associated but not particulate organic carbon across a range of climate and soil pH

Cited by 15 publications

References 46 publications

Distinct, direct and climate‐mediated environmental controls on global particulate and mineral‐associated organic carbon storage

Distinct, direct and climate‐mediated environmental controls on global particulate and mineral‐associated organic carbon storage

Ruminating on soil carbon: Applying current understanding to inform grazing management

Distribution and growth potential of wild Pittosporum tobira in the subtropical supratidal zone

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