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Soil Systems
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Soil Organic Matter Dynamics
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Soil Organic Matter Dynamics

A special issue of Soil Systems (ISSN 2571-8789).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (1 June 2018) | Viewed by 94819

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Marco Keiluweit

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Stockbridge School of Agriculture, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA
Interests: microbial biogeochemistry; organic matter transformations; mineral-organic interfaces; root-soil interactions; nutrient dynamics
Dr. Yu (Frank) Yang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Nevada, Reno, NV, USA
Interests: soil chemistry; water chemistry; carbon cycle; redox reactions; emerging pollutants
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Steven J. Hall

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology (EEOB), Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
Interests: carbon stable isotopes and radiocarbon; redox reactions; lignin; organo-mineral interactions; trace gas fluxes
Dr. Peter S. Nico

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Resilient Energy, Water and Infrastructure Program Domain Lead, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
Interests: soil carbon; redox; metals; reactive oxygen species; manganese; carbon stabilization; NEXAFS; X-ray; synchrotron

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The formation and decomposition of soil organic matter and its interactions with the soil environment, aquatic systems, and the atmosphere are important for agricultural productivity, water quality, and climate.

It is increasingly recognized that soil organic matter (SOM) represents a continuum of progressively-decomposing, plant-derived organic compounds, along with microbial transformation products. At a fundamental level, SOM dynamics are thus governed by metabolic constraints on microbial transformations (e.g., a(biotic) depolymerization, reduction and oxidation), mineralogical restrictions on accessibility (e.g., mineral surface interactions and aggregation), and ecophysiological controls on the production of microbial residues (e.g., nutrient limitations or environmental stressors).

Understanding these critical environmental controls on SOM dynamics, as well as their interplay, is critical for accurate predictions of soil carbon storage, soil fertility, and greenhouse gas emission from soils in the future.

Authors are invited to submit current work on SOM transformations, residence times, and bioavailability, the interaction of SOM with minerals and metals, and pathways of microbial recycling and metabolite production. Work that directly addresses the response of processes governing SOM dynamics to ecosystems disturbances and climate change is particularly welcome. 

Dr. Yu (Frank) Yang
Dr. Marco Keiluweit
Dr. Peter Nico
Dr. Steven J. Hall
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Soil Systems is an international peer-reviewed open access quarterly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • soil carbon cycling
  • stabilization/destabilization
  • carbon residence time
  • enzyme kinetics
  • thermodynamics of microbial respiration
  • mineral-organic associations
  • micro-aggregates
  • sorption
  • co-precipitation
  • Anaerobic and aerobic metabolic pathways
  • carbon use efficiency
  • assimilation efficiency

 

Published Papers (20 papers)

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18 pages, 4508 KiB  
Article
Effect of Cover Crop on Carbon Distribution in Size and Density Separated Soil Aggregates
by Michael V. Schaefer, Nathaniel A. Bogie, Daniel Rath, Alison R. Marklein, Abdi Garniwan, Thomas Haensel, Ying Lin, Claudia C. Avila, Peter S. Nico, Kate M. Scow, Eoin L. Brodie, William J. Riley, Marilyn L. Fogel, Asmeret Asefaw Berhe, Teamrat A. Ghezzehei, Sanjai Parikh, Marco Keiluweit and Samantha C. Ying
Soil Syst. 2020, 4(1), 6; https://doi.org/10.3390/soilsystems4010006 - 15 Jan 2020
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 4706
Abstract
Increasing soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks in agricultural soils can contribute to stabilizing or even lowering atmospheric greenhouse gas (GHG) concentrations. Cover crop rotation has been shown to increase SOC and provide productivity benefits for agriculture. Here we used a split field design [...] Read more.
Increasing soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks in agricultural soils can contribute to stabilizing or even lowering atmospheric greenhouse gas (GHG) concentrations. Cover crop rotation has been shown to increase SOC and provide productivity benefits for agriculture. Here we used a split field design to evaluate the short-term effect of cover crop on SOC distribution and chemistry using a combination of bulk, isotopic, and spectroscopic analyses of size-and density-separated soil aggregates. Macroaggregates (>250 µm) incorporated additional plant material with cover crop as evidenced by more negative δ13C values (−25.4‰ with cover crop compared to −25.1‰ without cover crop) and increased phenolic (plant-like) resonance in carbon NEXAFS spectra. Iron EXAFS data showed that the Fe pool was composed of 17–21% Fe oxide with the remainder a mix of primary and secondary minerals. Comparison of oxalate and dithionite extractions suggests that cover crop may also increase Fe oxide crystallinity, especially in the dense (>2.4 g cm−3) soil fraction. Cover crop δ13C values were more negative across density fractions of bulk soil, indicating the presence of less processed organic carbon. Although no significant difference was observed in bulk SOC on a mass per mass basis between cover and no cover crop fields after one season, isotopic and spectroscopic data reveal enhanced carbon movement between aggregates in cover crop soil. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Organic Matter Dynamics)
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11 pages, 870 KiB  
Article
Response of Bacterial Communities upon Application of Different Innovative Organic Fertilizers in a Greenhouse Experiment Using Low-Nutrient Soil Cultivated with Cynodon dactylon
by Marina Zanardo, Riccardo Rosselli, Andrea Meneghesso, Gaurav Sablok, Piergiorgio Stevanato, Marion Engel, Adriano Altissimo, Lisanna Peserico, Valentina Dezuani, Giuseppe Concheri, Michael Schloter and Andrea Squartini
Soil Syst. 2018, 2(3), 52; https://doi.org/10.3390/soilsystems2030052 - 06 Sep 2018
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3766
Abstract
Assessing the response of microbial communities to nutrient inputs in man-managed soils is of primary importance to understand the impact on ecosystem services provided by the soil microbiome. In this study, a low-nutrient soil was supplemented with seven different innovative fertilizers including matrixes [...] Read more.
Assessing the response of microbial communities to nutrient inputs in man-managed soils is of primary importance to understand the impact on ecosystem services provided by the soil microbiome. In this study, a low-nutrient soil was supplemented with seven different innovative fertilizers including matrixes of plant, animal, fungal or synthetic origin, and dosed to deliver the same amount of nitrogen. Growth of a potted grass crop (Cynodon dactylon) was recorded and the fertilizers were scored by the plant yield obtained in a greenhouse study. Soil was sampled at 9 and 58 days after the addition and bacterial community composition was analyzed after soil DNA extraction through pyrosequencing of 16S rDNA gene amplicons. Over 900 bacterial genera were detected, belonging to 21 described and 19 candidate phyla. In spite of the equal dose of nitrogen delivered, specific groups were fostered by given fertilizers; in particular marked effects on some phyla were displayed by a yeast-based fertilizer, which was also most effective in plant productivity. The main shifts were observed shortly after the fertilizer application, followed by a gradual stabilization of the equilibrium and by a rise in community evenness. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Organic Matter Dynamics)
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17 pages, 877 KiB  
Article
Interacting Controls of Pyrolysis Temperature and Plant Taxa on the Degradability of PyOM in Fire-Prone Northern Temperate Forest Soil
by Christy D. Gibson, Pierre-Joseph Hatton, Jeffrey A. Bird, Knute Nadelhoffer, Collin P. Ward, Ruth E. Stark and Timothy R. Filley
Soil Syst. 2018, 2(3), 48; https://doi.org/10.3390/soilsystems2030048 - 14 Aug 2018
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3421
Abstract
Tree taxa and pyrolysis temperature are the major controllers of the physicochemical properties of the resultant pyrogenic organic matter (PyOM) produced in fire-prone forests. However, we know little about how these controls determine the residence time of PyOM once introduced to soil. In [...] Read more.
Tree taxa and pyrolysis temperature are the major controllers of the physicochemical properties of the resultant pyrogenic organic matter (PyOM) produced in fire-prone forests. However, we know little about how these controls determine the residence time of PyOM once introduced to soil. In this study, we tracked the fate of 13C-enriched red maple (RM) or jack pine (JP) wood and PyOM, produced over a range of temperatures (200, 300, 450, or 600 °C) added to soil from a northern temperate forest in Michigan, USA. Pyrolysis temperature was the main controller of PyOM-C mineralization rates, with mean residence times (MRT) ranging from ~4 to 450 years for both taxa. The PyOM-C mineralization rates for both taxa and the pyrolysis temperature correlated positively with PyOMw (leachable C content); however, the potential PyOMw contribution to net PyOM-C mineralization was lower for JP (14–65%) than RM (24–84%). The correlation between PyOMw and mineralization rate was strongest where carbonization and the thermochemical conversion of carbohydrates and non-lignin phenols was most pronounced during pyrolysis for each taxa (300 °C for JP and 450 °C for RM). Contrary to expectations, the addition of a labile C source, sucrose, to the soil did not enhance the decomposition of PyOM, indicating that soil microbes were not energy limited in the soil-PyOM system studied (regardless of pyrolysis temperature). Our results showed that while the first-order control on PyOM decomposition in this soil is pyrolysis temperature, wood taxa did affect PyOM-C MRT, likely in part due to differences in the amount of reactive water-soluble C present in PyOM. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Organic Matter Dynamics)
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18 pages, 2759 KiB  
Article
Controls on Soil Organic Carbon Partitioning and Stabilization in the California Sierra Nevada
by Craig Rasmussen, Heather Throckmorton, Garrett Liles, Katherine Heckman, Stephen Meding and William R. Horwath
Soil Syst. 2018, 2(3), 41; https://doi.org/10.3390/soilsystems2030041 - 20 Jul 2018
Cited by 24 | Viewed by 4716
Abstract
There is a critical need to quantify the role of soil mineral composition on organic carbon (C) stabilization in forest soils. Here, we address this need by studying a matrix of forest ecosystems and soil parent materials with the objective of quantifying controls [...] Read more.
There is a critical need to quantify the role of soil mineral composition on organic carbon (C) stabilization in forest soils. Here, we address this need by studying a matrix of forest ecosystems and soil parent materials with the objective of quantifying controls on the physical partitioning and residence time of soil organic carbon. We sampled soil profiles across a climate gradient on the western slope of the California Sierra Nevada, focusing on three distinct forest ecosystems dominated by ponderosa pine, white fir, or red fir, on three igneous parent materials that included granite, andesite, and basalt. Results indicated that short-range order mineral phases were the dominant factors accounting for the variation in soil carbon content and residence time. The results further suggested an interaction between ecosystem fire regime and the degree of soil weathering on the partitioning, chemical composition, and residence time of C in density separated soil physical fractions. These results suggest a link between the degree of soil weathering and C storage capacity, with a greater divergence in storage capacity and residence time in the Inceptisols, Entisols, and Andisols of the white fir and red fir ecosystems relative to minimal variation in the highly weathered Ultisols and Alfisols of the ponderosa pine ecosystem. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Organic Matter Dynamics)
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19 pages, 2151 KiB  
Article
Conversion of a Semiarid Nevada Soil to Irrigated Agriculture Preferentially Removes Labile Carbon
by Brittany R. Trimble, Francisco J. Calderon, Simon R. Poulson and Paul S. J. Verburg
Soil Syst. 2018, 2(3), 38; https://doi.org/10.3390/soilsystems2030038 - 22 Jun 2018
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 4156
Abstract
Due to the scarcity of arable land, semiarid rangelands are often converted to irrigated croplands, which is likely to affect soil organic carbon (SOC) due to changes in C inputs into the soil and environmental factors regulating decomposition. In this study, soil density [...] Read more.
Due to the scarcity of arable land, semiarid rangelands are often converted to irrigated croplands, which is likely to affect soil organic carbon (SOC) due to changes in C inputs into the soil and environmental factors regulating decomposition. In this study, soil density and particle size fractions as well as their C and N contents, stable isotopic composition, and chemical characterization by mid-infrared spectroscopy were measured in a native shrubland and an adjacent agricultural site under alfalfa cultivation for at least 50 years in western Nevada. Cultivation significantly reduced the amount of C and N in the surface soils and the proportion of C present in the labile fractions. The δ13C and δ15N values of the SOC reflected dominant vegetation types at each site, and suggested most SOC was root-derived. The potential decomposition rate of SOC was higher in the shrubland than in the alfalfa surface soil reflecting the larger amount of labile C present in the shrubland soils. Spectroscopy results suggested that the greater recalcitrance of the alfalfa soils was due to insoluble SOC moieties. Additional analyses of buried, SOC-rich, A horizons at both sites showed that slower decomposition of ‘deep’ SOC was due to lower substrate quality supported by fractionation and spectroscopy data. The results of this study showed that converting a semiarid shrubland into irrigated cropland significantly reduced SOC content but increased overall stability of residual SOC. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Organic Matter Dynamics)
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12 pages, 1100 KiB  
Article
Variation in the Molecular Structure and Radiocarbon Abundance of Mineral-Associated Organic Matter across a Lithosequence of Forest Soils
by Katherine Heckman, Heather Throckmorton, William R. Horwath, Christopher W. Swanston and Craig Rasmussen
Soil Syst. 2018, 2(2), 36; https://doi.org/10.3390/soilsystems2020036 - 11 Jun 2018
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 4405
Abstract
Soil mineral assemblage influences the abundance and mean residence time of soil organic matter both directly, through sorption reactions, and indirectly, through influences on microbial communities. Though organo-mineral interactions are at the heart of soil organic matter cycling, current models mostly lack parameters [...] Read more.
Soil mineral assemblage influences the abundance and mean residence time of soil organic matter both directly, through sorption reactions, and indirectly, through influences on microbial communities. Though organo-mineral interactions are at the heart of soil organic matter cycling, current models mostly lack parameters describing specific mineral assemblages or phases, and treat the mineral-bound pool as a single homogenous entity with a uniform response to changes in climatic conditions. We used pyrolysis GC/MS in combination with stable isotopes and radiocarbon abundance to examine mineral-bound soil organic matter fractions from a lithosequence of forest soils. Results suggest that different mineral assemblages tend to be associated with soil organics of specific molecular composition, and that these unique suites of organo-mineral complexes differ in mean residence time. We propose that mineralogy influences the composition of the mineral-bound soil organic matter pool through the direct influence of mineral surface chemistry on organo-mineral bond type and strength in combination with the indirect influence of soil acidity on microbial community composition. The composition of the mineral-bound pool of soil organic matter is therefore partially dictated by a combination of compound availability and sorption affinity, with compound availability controlled in part by microbial community composition. Furthermore, results are suggestive of a preferential sorption of N-containing moieties in Fe-rich soils. These bonds appear to be highly stable and confer extended mean residence times. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Organic Matter Dynamics)
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12 pages, 2664 KiB  
Article
Is There Anybody Out There? Substrate Availability Controls Microbial Activity outside of Hotspots in Subsoils
by Julian Heitkötter and Bernd Marschner
Soil Syst. 2018, 2(2), 35; https://doi.org/10.3390/soilsystems2020035 - 06 Jun 2018
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 4132
Abstract
Soil organic carbon (SOC) turnover in subsoils is assumed to be limited to spatially restricted microsites where fresh substrate inputs occur. Vice versa, the growth and activity of microorganisms outside of such hotspots may be limited by easily available substrates. The apparent long-term [...] Read more.
Soil organic carbon (SOC) turnover in subsoils is assumed to be limited to spatially restricted microsites where fresh substrate inputs occur. Vice versa, the growth and activity of microorganisms outside of such hotspots may be limited by easily available substrates. The apparent long-term stability of subsoil organic carbon could thus be a result of microbial inactivity in these vast “cold regions” outside of hotspots. The aim of this study was to obtain realistic data about the in situ distribution of microbial hotspots in deep soil using soil zymography for three extracellular enzymes on undisturbed soil slices sampled from 0 to 161 cm depth. The results showed that most enzyme-driven turnover processes were concentrated to small portions of <1 to 10% of the subsoil volume, while enzymes in the major part of subsoils were barely active. In a second step, soil slices were homogenously sprayed with 14C glucose, incubated for 2 weeks and again analyzed with soil zymography. After glucose application, enzyme activities greatly increased in non-hotspot areas, thus confirming that substrate availability limits microbial activity in most of the subsoil volume. This implies that substrate limitation is a controlling factor for SOC stability in subsoils, suggesting that SOC in non-hotspots is persisting over long time periods until substrate becomes available and increases microbial activity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Organic Matter Dynamics)
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18 pages, 3180 KiB  
Article
In Search of a Binding Agent: Nano-Scale Evidence of Preferential Carbon Associations with Poorly-Crystalline Mineral Phases in Physically-Stable, Clay-Sized Aggregates
by Maki Asano, Rota Wagai, Noriko Yamaguchi, Yasuo Takeichi, Makoto Maeda, Hiroki Suga and Yoshio Takahashi
Soil Syst. 2018, 2(2), 32; https://doi.org/10.3390/soilsystems2020032 - 29 May 2018
Cited by 36 | Viewed by 6675
Abstract
Mechanisms of protecting soil carbon (C) are still poorly understood despite growing needs to predict and manage the changes in soil C or organic matter (OM) under anticipated climate change. A fundamental question is how the submicron-scale interaction between OM and soil minerals, [...] Read more.
Mechanisms of protecting soil carbon (C) are still poorly understood despite growing needs to predict and manage the changes in soil C or organic matter (OM) under anticipated climate change. A fundamental question is how the submicron-scale interaction between OM and soil minerals, especially poorly-crystalline phases, affects soil physical aggregation and C stabilization. Nano-sized composites rich in OM and poorly-crystalline mineral phases were presumed to account for high aggregate stability in the Andisol we previously studied. Here we searched for these nanocomposites within a sonication-resistant aggregate using scanning transmission X-ray microscopy (STXM) and near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) as well as electron microscopy (SEM, TEM). Specifically, we hypothesized that nanometer-scale spatial distribution of OM is controlled by poorly-crystalline minerals as both co-exist as physically-stable nanocomposites. After maximum dispersion of the cultivated Andisol A-horizon sample in water, one aggregate (a few µm in diameter) was isolated from 0.2–2 µm size fraction which accounted for 44–47% of total C and N and 50% of poorly-crystalline minerals in bulk soil. This fraction as well as <0.2 µm fraction had much higher extractable Al and Fe contents and showed greater increase in specific surface area (N2-BET) upon OM oxidation compared to bulk and >2 µm size fractions, implying high abundance of the nanocomposites in the smaller fractions. The isolated aggregate showed a mosaic of two distinctive regions. Smooth surface regions showed low adsorption intensity of carbon K-edge photon energy (284–290 eV) with well-crystalline mineralogy, whereas rough surface regions had features indicative of the nanocomposites: aggregated nanostructure, high C intensity, X-ray amorphous mineral phase, and the dominance of Si, O, Al, and Fe based on SEM/EDX and TEM/EDX. Carbon functional group chemistry assessed by NEXAFS showed the dominance of amide and carboxyl C over aromatic and aliphatic C with some variation among the four rough surface regions. Together with C and N isotopic patterns among the size fractions (relatively low C:N ratio, high 15N natural abundance, and more positive Δ14C of the <2 μm fractions), our results provided the direct evidence of preferential binding of microbially-altered, potentially-labile C with poorly-crystalline mineral phases at submicron scale. The role of the nanocomposite inferred from this study may help to bridge the knowledge gap between physical aggregation process and biogeochemical reactions taking place within the soil physical structure. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Organic Matter Dynamics)
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23 pages, 2390 KiB  
Article
Distinctive Roles of Two Aggregate Binding Agents in Allophanic Andisols: Young Carbon and Poorly-Crystalline Metal Phases with Old Carbon
by Rota Wagai, Masako Kajiura, Masao Uchida and Maki Asano
Soil Syst. 2018, 2(2), 29; https://doi.org/10.3390/soilsystems2020029 - 07 May 2018
Cited by 24 | Viewed by 5727
Abstract
Interaction of organic matter (OM) with soil mineral components plays a critical role in biophysical organization (aggregate structure) as well as in biogeochemical cycling of major elements. Of the mineral components, poorly-crystalline phases rich in iron (Fe) and aluminum (Al) are highly reactive [...] Read more.
Interaction of organic matter (OM) with soil mineral components plays a critical role in biophysical organization (aggregate structure) as well as in biogeochemical cycling of major elements. Of the mineral components, poorly-crystalline phases rich in iron (Fe) and aluminum (Al) are highly reactive and thus contribute to both OM stabilization and aggregation. However, the functional relationship among the reactive metal phases, C stability, and aggregation remains elusive. We hypothesized that relatively young C acts as a binding agent to form the aggregates of weak physical stability, whereas the reactive metal phases and older C bound to them contribute to stronger aggregation. Using four surface horizons of Andisols having a gradient of soil C concentration due to decadal OM management, we conducted sequential density fractionation to isolate six fractions (from <1.6 to >2.5 g cm−3) with mechanical shaking, followed by selective dissolution and radiocarbon analysis. After 28 years of no-till with litter compost addition, not only C and N but inorganic materials including the reactive metal phases (pyrophosphate-, oxalate-, and dithionite-extractable metals) showed clear shifts in their concentrations towards lower-density fractions (especially <2.0 g cm−3) on a ground-area basis. This result was explained by the binding of compost-derived OM with soil particles. Major portions of the reactive metal phases in bulk samples were distributed in mid-density fractions (2.0–2.5 g cm−3) largely as sonication-resistant aggregates. Theoretical density calculations, together with depletion in radiocarbon (Δ14C: −82 to −170‰) and lower C:N ratio, implied that the sorptive capacity of the reactive metal phases in these fractions were roughly saturated with pre-existing OM. However, the influx of the compost-derived, modern C into the mid-density fractions detected by the paired-plot comparison suggests decadal C sink in association with the reactive metal phase. Our results supported the concept of aggregate hierarchy and further provided the following new insights. At the high hierarchy level where shaking-resistant aggregates form, soil organo-mineral particles appeared to be under a dynamic equilibrium and the changes in OM input regime controlled (dis)aggregation behavior due to the binding effect of relatively young C. At a lower hierarchy level, the reactive metal phases were bound to N-rich, 14C-depleted OM and together functioned as persistent binding agent. Our study suggests that the recognition of binding agents and aggregate hierarchy level would help to untangle the complex organo-mineral interactions and to better understand soil C stability. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Organic Matter Dynamics)
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20 pages, 1794 KiB  
Article
Substrate Influences Temperature Sensitivity of Dissolved Organic Carbon (DOC) and Nitrogen (DON) Mineralization in Arid Agricultural Soils
by Abdulaziz A. AlMulla, Davey Jones and Paula Roberts
Soil Syst. 2018, 2(2), 28; https://doi.org/10.3390/soilsystems2020028 - 01 May 2018
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 4077
Abstract
The bioavailability of nitrogen (N) in soil relies on the progressive breakdown of necromass protein to peptide and amino acid components and conversion to inorganic N forms. We understand the fluxes and pathways of the N cycle downstream from amino acids, but our [...] Read more.
The bioavailability of nitrogen (N) in soil relies on the progressive breakdown of necromass protein to peptide and amino acid components and conversion to inorganic N forms. We understand the fluxes and pathways of the N cycle downstream from amino acids, but our understanding of the factors controlling peptide and amino acid mineralization, particularly in arid soils, is lacking. We investigated the influence of temperature on the rate of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and nitrogen (DON) cycling in three agricultural soils from Saudi Arabia. Although the physical and chemical properties of the soils differed markedly, phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analysis revealed they had similar topsoil and subsoil microbial communities. Soils behaved similarly in terms of the rate of substrate use, microbial C-use efficiency, and response to temperature. Substrate mineralization rate increased with temperature with more C being allocated to microbial catabolic rather than anabolic processes. Our results show that climate change is likely to lead to changes in soil organic matter turnover and shift C allocation patterns within the soil microbial community. This is expected to reduce soil quality and exacerbate nutrient losses. Management strategies are required to promote the retention of organic matter in these soils. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Organic Matter Dynamics)
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13 pages, 2541 KiB  
Article
Soil Organic Carbon Changes for Switchgrass Farms in East Tennessee, USA
by Dustin K. Toliver, Burton C. English, Donald D. Tyler, Jaehoon Lee, R. Jamey Menard and Jon C. Walton
Soil Syst. 2018, 2(2), 25; https://doi.org/10.3390/soilsystems2020025 - 24 Apr 2018
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 4134
Abstract
Much attention has been paid to switchgrass’s potential for conversion to cellulosic ethanol and its ability to sequester soil organic carbon (SOC). Soil samples from switchgrass farms in East Tennessee were collected at depths of 0–5, 15–30, 30–60, and 60–90 cm and tested [...] Read more.
Much attention has been paid to switchgrass’s potential for conversion to cellulosic ethanol and its ability to sequester soil organic carbon (SOC). Soil samples from switchgrass farms in East Tennessee were collected at depths of 0–5, 15–30, 30–60, and 60–90 cm and tested for SOC over a 4-year period (2008–2011). Results showed no differences (p ≥ 0.05) in SOC from 2008 to 2011. However, when comparing the initial samples to year four, SOC decreases ranging from 0.04 to 0.47 t ha−1 were observed in the 5–10 and 10–15 cm soil depths. While SOC increased with time in the 90 to 120 cm layer, this increase was not significant at p = 0.05 but was significant at the 0.10 level. Following three full growing seasons, switchgrass’s potential to sequester carbon comes at deeper soil depths due to its vast root structure. Greater levels of carbon were present in soil previously no-tilled compared to that previously under conventional tillage; however, neither gained or lost a significant amount of SOC by year four. Alfisols were the only taxonomic category that had a significant increase in SOC by year four. Green beans were the only previously produced crop that had a significant positive effect on sequestering carbon. Increases in switchgrass yield were correlated to SOC. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Organic Matter Dynamics)
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16 pages, 3863 KiB  
Article
The Composition and Stability of Clay-Associated Organic Matter along a Soil Profile
by Chunmei Chen, Peter Leinweber, Kai-Uwe Eckhardt and Donald L. Sparks
Soil Syst. 2018, 2(1), 16; https://doi.org/10.3390/soilsystems2010016 - 14 Mar 2018
Cited by 21 | Viewed by 5322
Abstract
Organic carbon in subsoil generally has longer turnover times than that in surface soil, but little is known about how the stability of the specific organic compound classes changes with soil depth. The objective of this study was to analyze the composition and [...] Read more.
Organic carbon in subsoil generally has longer turnover times than that in surface soil, but little is known about how the stability of the specific organic compound classes changes with soil depth. The objective of this study was to analyze the composition and thermal stability of clay-associated organic matter (OM) at varying soil depths in the summit and footslope of a pasture hillslope using C X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) and pyrolysis-field ionization mass spectrometry (Py-FIMS). C XANES showed aromatic C was relatively enriched in the subsoil, relative to the surface soil. Py-FIMS demonstrated a relative enrichment of phenols/lignin monomers and alkylaromatics with increasing profile depth in the summit soil, and to a greater extent in the footslope soil, followed by a decreasing abundance of sterols. In surface soil, the thermostability of clay-associated OM increases in the order: carbohydrates and N compounds < phenols/lignin monomers < lignin dimers and alkylaromatics, suggesting the intrinsic chemical nature of OM as a major driver for OM persistent in surface soil. The thermal stability of clay-associated carbohydrates, N compounds, and phenols/lignin monomers increased with profile depth, likely due to stronger organic-organic/organic-mineral binding. In subsoil, the thermal stability of clay-associated carbohydrates and N compounds can be as high as that of alkylaromatic and lignin dimers, implying that persistent subsoil OM could be composed of organic compound classes, like carbohydrates, that were traditionally considered as biochemically labile compounds. In contrast, the thermally-stable compound classes, like lignin dimers and alkylaromatics, showed no changes in the thermal stability with soil depth. This study suggests that stability of the more labile OM compounds may be more strongly influenced by the change in environmental conditions, relative to the more stable forms. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Organic Matter Dynamics)
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19 pages, 1933 KiB  
Article
Composition-Dependent Sorptive Fractionation of Anthropogenic Dissolved Organic Matter by Fe(III)-Montmorillonite
by Robert B. Young, Shani Avneri-Katz, Amy M. McKenna, Huan Chen, William Bahureksa, Tamara Polubesova, Benny Chefetz and Thomas Borch
Soil Syst. 2018, 2(1), 14; https://doi.org/10.3390/soilsystems2010014 - 02 Mar 2018
Cited by 24 | Viewed by 6970
Abstract
Water transports organic matter through soils, where mineral-organic associations form to retain dissolved organic matter (“DOM”), influencing terrestrial carbon cycling, nutrient availability for plant growth, and other soil organic matter functions. We combined Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry with novel data [...] Read more.
Water transports organic matter through soils, where mineral-organic associations form to retain dissolved organic matter (“DOM”), influencing terrestrial carbon cycling, nutrient availability for plant growth, and other soil organic matter functions. We combined Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry with novel data analysis techniques to examine the role of sorptive fractionation in the associations between Fe(III)-montmorillonite and DOM from composted biosolids (“anthropogenic DOM”). To examine the influence of DOM composition on sorption and sorptive fractionation, we used resin-based separation to produce DOM subsamples with different molecular compositions and chemical properties. A large proportion (45 to 64%) of the initial carbon in every DOM solution sorbed to the Fe(III)-montmorillonite. However, when the compositions of the initial solutions were compared to the sorbed organic matter, the computed changes in composition were lower (10 to 32%). In fact, non-selective sorption was more important than selective sorption in every sample, except for the hydrophilic neutral (HiN) fraction, where high nitrogen content and acidic conditions appeared to enhance sorptive fractionation. The results from this study demonstrate that the importance of sorptive fractionation varies with DOM composition and other factors, and that non-selective sorption can contribute substantially to the formation of mineral-organic associations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Organic Matter Dynamics)
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11 pages, 2848 KiB  
Article
Soil Carbon Dioxide Respiration in Switchgrass Fields: Assessing Annual, Seasonal and Daily Flux Patterns
by Jaehoon Lee, Julie McKnight, Leah S. Skinner, Andrew Sherfy, Donald Tyler and Burton English
Soil Syst. 2018, 2(1), 13; https://doi.org/10.3390/soilsystems2010013 - 01 Mar 2018
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3094
Abstract
Quantifications of annual soil respiration in switchgrass systems are limited to the growing season or coarse-scale temporal sampling. This study evaluates daily and seasonal soil CO2 respiration in switchgrass croplands. Hourly measurements during a 12-month period were taken for soil CO2 [...] Read more.
Quantifications of annual soil respiration in switchgrass systems are limited to the growing season or coarse-scale temporal sampling. This study evaluates daily and seasonal soil CO2 respiration in switchgrass croplands. Hourly measurements during a 12-month period were taken for soil CO2 flux, soil temperature, and soil moisture. Although both soil temperature and moisture were positively correlated with soil CO2 flux rates, soil temperature was the primary driver of soil respiration. During winter, lower soil temperatures corresponded with significant decreases in average daily CO2 flux rates, however, CO2 pulses associated with precipitation events increased flux rates up to three times the seasonal daily average. Soil temperature influenced both daily and seasonal flux patterns where the highest flux rates, up to 31.0 kg CO2 ha−1 h−1, were observed during the warmest hours of the day (13:00 to 15:00) and during the warmest season (Summer). Summer and Spring emissions combined accounted for 80.1% of annual flux, indicating that exclusion of non-growing season time periods may result in an underestimation of total annual CO2 efflux. Our results indicate that inclusion of the non-growing season and a fine-resolution temporal sampling approach provides more accurate quantifications of total annual CO2 emissions in switchgrass croplands. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Organic Matter Dynamics)
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13 pages, 1688 KiB  
Article
Biotic versus Abiotic Controls on Bioavailable Soil Organic Carbon
by Joseph C. Blankinship and Joshua P. Schimel
Soil Syst. 2018, 2(1), 10; https://doi.org/10.3390/soilsystems2010010 - 22 Feb 2018
Cited by 22 | Viewed by 5709
Abstract
Processes controlling microbial access to soil organic matter are critical for soil nutrient cycling and C stabilization. The bioavailability of soil organic matter partly depends on the rate that substrates become water-soluble, which is determined by some combination of biological, biochemical, and purely [...] Read more.
Processes controlling microbial access to soil organic matter are critical for soil nutrient cycling and C stabilization. The bioavailability of soil organic matter partly depends on the rate that substrates become water-soluble, which is determined by some combination of biological, biochemical, and purely abiotic processes. Our goal was to unravel these biotic and abiotic processes to better understand mechanisms controlling the dynamics of bioavailable soil organic carbon (SOC). We sampled soils in a California annual grassland from manipulated plots with and without plants to help distinguish bioavailable SOC generated from mineral-associated organic matter versus from plant detritus (i.e., the “light fraction”). In the laboratory, soils were incubated for 8 months under all possible combinations of three levels of moisture and two levels of microbial biomass using continuous chloroform sterilization. We measured cumulative carbon dioxide (CO2) production and the net change in soil water-extractable organic C (WEOC) to quantify C that was accessed biologically or biochemically. Under the driest conditions, microbes appeared to primarily access WEOC from recent plant C, with the other half of CO2 production explained by extracellular processes. These results suggest that dry, uncolonized conditions promote the adsorption of WEOC onto mineral surfaces. Under wetter conditions, microbial access increased by two orders of magnitude, with a large concomitant decrease in WEOC, particularly in soils without plant inputs from the previous growing season. The largest increase in WEOC occurred in wet sterilized soil, perhaps because exoenzymes and desorption continued solubilizing C but without microbial consumption. A similar amount of WEOC accumulated in wet sterilized soil whether plants were present or not, suggesting that desorption of mineral-associated C was the abiotic WEOC source. Based on these results, we hypothesize that dry-live and wet-uncolonized soil microsites are sources of bioavailable SOC, whereas wet-live and dry-uncolonized microsites are sinks. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Organic Matter Dynamics)
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17 pages, 2036 KiB  
Article
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Analysis of Changes in Dissolved Organic Matter Composition with Successive Layering on Clay Mineral Surfaces
by Perry J. Mitchell, André J. Simpson, Ronald Soong and Myrna J. Simpson
Soil Syst. 2018, 2(1), 8; https://doi.org/10.3390/soils2010008 - 09 Feb 2018
Cited by 23 | Viewed by 5636
Abstract
Dissolved organic matter (DOM) chemistry and the potential for organic matter (OM) to self-associate with other OM components are important aspects of understanding the mechanisms of DOM sorption to clay surfaces. To investigate this further, we sorbed DOM isolated from peat humic acid [...] Read more.
Dissolved organic matter (DOM) chemistry and the potential for organic matter (OM) to self-associate with other OM components are important aspects of understanding the mechanisms of DOM sorption to clay surfaces. To investigate this further, we sorbed DOM isolated from peat humic acid onto either kaolinite, montmorillonite and gibbsite via ten sequential batch equilibration sorption experiments. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) sorption to all minerals increased consistently, suggesting that sorption occurred via mineral-OM interactions at the beginning of the experiment. After six successive DOM loadings, the concentration of DOC sorbed by kaolinite and gibbsite began to plateau, likely due to the saturation of mineral surface sorption sites. Solution-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis of unbound DOM showed that kaolinite and montmorillonite sorbed aliphatic, protein and lignin components initially and primarily aliphatic and aromatic constituents in later sorption experiments, whereas gibbsite sorbed mostly aliphatic compounds during all DOM loadings. Analysis of the organo-clay complexes using 1H high resolution–magic angle spinning (HR-MAS) NMR confirmed the preferential sorption of aromatic and aliphatic components to all three minerals. Overall, these results suggest that OM-OM interactions may be important mechanisms of DOM sorption to clay mineral surfaces. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Organic Matter Dynamics)
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23 pages, 2013 KiB  
Article
A Molecular Investigation of Soil Organic Carbon Composition across a Subalpine Catchment
by Hsiao-Tieh Hsu, Corey R. Lawrence, Matthew J. Winnick, John R. Bargar and Katharine Maher
Soil Syst. 2018, 2(1), 6; https://doi.org/10.3390/soils2010006 - 01 Feb 2018
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 4161
Abstract
The dynamics of soil organic carbon (SOC) storage and turnover are a critical component of the global carbon cycle. Mechanistic models seeking to represent these complex dynamics require detailed SOC compositions, which are currently difficult to characterize quantitatively. Here, we address this challenge [...] Read more.
The dynamics of soil organic carbon (SOC) storage and turnover are a critical component of the global carbon cycle. Mechanistic models seeking to represent these complex dynamics require detailed SOC compositions, which are currently difficult to characterize quantitatively. Here, we address this challenge by using a novel approach that combines Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and bulk carbon X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) to determine the abundance of SOC functional groups, using elemental analysis (EA) to constrain the total amount of SOC. We used this SOC functional group abundance (SOC-fga) method to compare variability in SOC compositions as a function of depth across a subalpine watershed (East River, Colorado, USA) and found a large degree of variability in SOC functional group abundances between sites at different elevations. Soils at a lower elevation are predominantly composed of polysaccharides, while soils at a higher elevation have more substantial portions of carbonyl, phenolic, or aromatic carbon. We discuss the potential drivers of differences in SOC composition between these sites, including vegetation inputs, internal processing and losses, and elevation-driven environmental factors. Although numerical models would facilitate the understanding and evaluation of the observed SOC distributions, quantitative and meaningful measurements of SOC molecular compositions are required to guide such models. Comparison among commonly used characterization techniques on shared reference materials is a critical next step for advancing our understanding of the complex processes controlling SOC compositions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Organic Matter Dynamics)
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Graphical abstract

23 pages, 2889 KiB  
Article
Species-Specific Impacts of Invasive Plant Success on Vertical Profiles of Soil Carbon Accumulation and Nutrient Retention in the Minjiang River Tidal Estuarine Wetlands of China
by Weiqi Wang, Jordi Sardans, Chun Wang, Dolores Asensio, Mireia Bartrons and Josep Peñuelas
Soil Syst. 2018, 2(1), 5; https://doi.org/10.3390/soils2010005 - 29 Jan 2018
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 4229
Abstract
The increasing presence of successful invasive plant species can have an impact on wetlands capacity to store and release C. We have investigated the relationships between stocks of different soil organic carbon (SOC) along the soil vertical profile and invasive plant success in [...] Read more.
The increasing presence of successful invasive plant species can have an impact on wetlands capacity to store and release C. We have investigated the relationships between stocks of different soil organic carbon (SOC) along the soil vertical profile and invasive plant success in a China wetland. In stands dominated by the exotic invasive species Spartina alterniflora and the native invasive Phragmites australis soil organic-carbon concentrations (SOC) were higher (12% and 9%, respectively) than in plots of a native species, Cyperus malaccensis, whereas SOC content (g m−2) was 18% and 17% lower under P. australis than under S. alterniffolia and C. malaccensis, respectively. Soils under both invasive species had the concentrations and contents of light-fraction organic carbon (LFOC), light-fraction organic nitrogen (LFON) at 30–60 cm of soil depth and labile organic carbon (LOC) concentrations at 0–10 cm higher than soils under native species. The invasive species had higher total aboveground, total biomasses and lower shoot:root ratios than the native species. The success of both invasive species was associated with higher growth rates and accumulation of nutrients in biomass than in the native species and also accumulation of C in plant soil system. The stands currently dominated by the invasive species were recently occupied by monospecific stands of the native C. malaccensis, strongly suggesting that all or most of the current soil differences were due to the invasions. Higher sand fraction in C. malaccensis community and higher clay fraction in P. australis community relative to the native species, were correlated with higher soil N and P concentrations in invaded stands. The results suggest that different vegetation cover with distinct shoot/root ratio can change soil structure by favoring sedimentation of different particle size classes. Thus, despite both invasive species have some common traits, the results also showed that different invasive species with partially distinct impacts on soil and nutrient uses can succeed under the same conditions. The traits conferring invasive success are thus not necessarily species-specific. A clear change in the general accumulation of C, N and P in the plant-soil system was related to the invasive plant success in this wetland areas. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Organic Matter Dynamics)
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13 pages, 2532 KiB  
Article
Drying-Wetting Cycles: Effect on Deep Soil Carbon
by Ji Qi, Daniel Markewitz, Maryam Foroughi, Eric Jokela, Brian Strahm and Jason Vogel
Soil Syst. 2018, 2(1), 3; https://doi.org/10.3390/soils2010003 - 09 Jan 2018
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3461
Abstract
In the Southeast United States (U.S.), the climate is predicted to be warmer and have more severe drought in the summer. Decreasing rainfall in summer months should create more severe soil drying, which will eventually affect re-wetting cycles deeper in the soil profile. [...] Read more.
In the Southeast United States (U.S.), the climate is predicted to be warmer and have more severe drought in the summer. Decreasing rainfall in summer months should create more severe soil drying, which will eventually affect re-wetting cycles deeper in the soil profile. Changing drying-wetting cycles in this deeper portion of the profile may impact the soil C pool, the largest pool of terrestrial C globally. The aim of this research is to study the effect of drying-wetting cycles on deep soil C. A soil incubation experiment was established using four soils that are part of a simulated drought experiment in Oklahoma, Virginia, Georgia, and Florida. Soils were incubated from as many as eight layers up to a depth of 3.0 m. During incubations, soil respiration was generally greatest in surface soils and declined with depth. When compared to soils that were kept constantly moist, drying-wetting cycles did not consistently stimulate more soil respiration. Soil respiration as a proportion of total soil C, however, was higher in soils below 1 m than above. Total C (R2 = 0.82) and hydrolysable C (R2 = 0.77) were the best predictors for soil respiration. Assuming that there was no other factor (i.e., new carbon inputs) affecting soil respiration at depth other than soil moisture cycles, this study indicates that there would be no significant change to soil respiration in deep soils under more severe drying-wetting cycles. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Organic Matter Dynamics)
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Review

Jump to: Research

10 pages, 1320 KiB  
Review
Plant Secondary Metabolites—Missing Pieces in the Soil Organic Matter Puzzle of Boreal Forests
by Bartosz Adamczyk, Sylwia Adamczyk, Aino Smolander, Veikko Kitunen and Judy Simon
Soil Syst. 2018, 2(1), 2; https://doi.org/10.3390/soils2010002 - 08 Jan 2018
Cited by 24 | Viewed by 5065
Abstract
Processes underlying soil organic matter (SOM) transformations are meeting growing interest as SOM contains more carbon (C) than global vegetation and the atmosphere combined. Therefore, SOM is a crucial element of the C cycle, especially in ecosystems rich in organic matter, such as [...] Read more.
Processes underlying soil organic matter (SOM) transformations are meeting growing interest as SOM contains more carbon (C) than global vegetation and the atmosphere combined. Therefore, SOM is a crucial element of the C cycle, especially in ecosystems rich in organic matter, such as boreal forests. However, climate change may shift the fate of this SOM from C sink into C source, accelerating global warming. These processes require a better understanding of the involved mechanisms driving both the C cycle and the interlinked nitrogen (N) cycle. SOM transformations are balanced by a network of interactions between biological, chemical and physical factors. In this review, we discuss the findings of the most recent studies to the current state of knowledge about the main drivers in SOM transformations. We focus on plant-derived secondary metabolites, as their biochemical traits, especially interactions with soil microbial communities, organic N compounds and enzymes make them potential regulators of SOM decomposition. However, these regulatory abilities of plant-derived compounds are not fully explored. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Organic Matter Dynamics)
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