“…It is widely accepted that the temperature response of Rs is influenced by SOM quality (Gershenson et al, 2009). Various studies have paradoxically concluded that the responses of the recalcitrant SOM components to warming could be greater than (Conant et al, 2008;Haddix et al, 2011;Knorr et al, 2005;Lefevre et al, 2014), equivalent to (Conen et al, 2006;Fang et al, 2005), or even less than (Bradford et al, 2008;Giardina & Ryan, 2000;Kurganova et al, 2012;Larionova et al, 2017;Liski et al, 1999) that of the labile organic matter. The picture is further complicated by uncertainty about the relationship between soil microbiota and SOM quality, and thus, the importance of microorganisms in regulating the temperature dependence of Rs.…”