In situ incubations highlight the environmental constraints on soil organic carbon decomposition

We use root exclusion plots, subsurface gas sampling and in situ diffusivity measurements to quantify in situ soil organic carbon (SOC) decomposition dynamics within separate depth-dependent soil pools (0 and 35 cm). We contrast these measurements with observations of temperature–decomposition potentials, generated from laboratory incubations of the same soils at optimal moisture levels and native temperatures. The decomposition–temperature response was similar at different depths in the field, but every gram of soil C at 35 cm was more than 100 times less active in decomposition than surface soil. These depth-related variations were not evident in decomposition potentials generated from aerobic laboratory incubations, highlighting the importance of environmental physical factors in constraining soil organic carbon decomposition. At depth, physical protection of SOC could match or even override the importance of quality and temperature in determining the future stability of deeper, recalcitrant pools

Carbon fibers · Decomposition · In situ · Moisture · Soil carbon · Soil water · Total organic carbon · Water content · Chemistry · Environmental Science · Materials Science · Peatlands and Wetlands Ecology · Soil and Water Nutrient Dynamics · Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics · Environmental Chemistry · Geology · Soil Science

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