Articles | Volume 18, issue 1
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-55-2021
© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-55-2021
© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
05 Jan 2021
Research article |
| 05 Jan 2021
| 05 Jan 2021
Deepening roots can enhance carbonate weathering by amplifying CO2-rich recharge
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Pennsylvania
State University, University Park, PA 16802, United States
Pamela L. Sullivan
College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Science, Oregon State
University, Corvallis, OR 97331, United States
Gwendolyn L. Macpherson
Department of Geology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045,
United States
Sharon A. Billings
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Kansas
Biological Survey, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045, United States
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Pennsylvania
State University, University Park, PA 16802, United States
Related authors
Gary Sterle, Julia Perdrial, Dustin W. Kincaid, Kristen L. Underwood, Donna M. Rizzo, Ijaz Ul Haq, Li Li, Byung Suk Lee, Thomas Adler, Hang Wen, Helena Middleton, and Adrian A. Harpold
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 28, 611–630, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-611-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-611-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We develop stream water chemistry to pair with the existing CAMELS (Catchment Attributes and Meteorology for Large-sample Studies) dataset. The newly developed dataset, termed CAMELS-Chem, includes common stream water chemistry constituents and wet deposition chemistry in 516 catchments. Examples show the value of CAMELS-Chem to trend and spatial analyses, as well as its limitations in sampling length and consistency.
Wei Zhi, Yuning Shi, Hang Wen, Leila Saberi, Gene-Hua Crystal Ng, Kayalvizhi Sadayappan, Devon Kerins, Bryn Stewart, and Li Li
Geosci. Model Dev., 15, 315–333, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-15-315-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-15-315-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Watersheds are the fundamental Earth surface functioning unit that connects the land to aquatic systems. Here we present the recently developed BioRT-Flux-PIHM v1.0, a watershed-scale biogeochemical reactive transport model, to improve our ability to understand and predict solute export and water quality. The model has been verified against the benchmark code CrunchTope and has recently been applied to understand reactive transport processes in multiple watersheds of different conditions.
Hang Wen, Julia Perdrial, Benjamin W. Abbott, Susana Bernal, Rémi Dupas, Sarah E. Godsey, Adrian Harpold, Donna Rizzo, Kristen Underwood, Thomas Adler, Gary Sterle, and Li Li
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 24, 945–966, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-945-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-945-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Lateral carbon fluxes from terrestrial to aquatic systems remain central uncertainties in determining ecosystem carbon balance. This work explores how temperature and hydrology control production and export of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) at the catchment scale. Results illustrate the asynchrony of DOC production, controlled by temperature, and export, governed by flow paths; concentration–discharge relationships are determined by the relative contribution of shallow versus groundwater flow.
Roland Baatz, Pamela L. Sullivan, Li Li, Samantha R. Weintraub, Henry W. Loescher, Michael Mirtl, Peter M. Groffman, Diana H. Wall, Michael Young, Tim White, Hang Wen, Steffen Zacharias, Ingolf Kühn, Jianwu Tang, Jérôme Gaillardet, Isabelle Braud, Alejandro N. Flores, Praveen Kumar, Henry Lin, Teamrat Ghezzehei, Julia Jones, Henry L. Gholz, Harry Vereecken, and Kris Van Looy
Earth Syst. Dynam., 9, 593–609, https://doi.org/10.5194/esd-9-593-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/esd-9-593-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
Focusing on the usage of integrated models and in situ Earth observatory networks, three challenges are identified to advance understanding of ESD, in particular to strengthen links between biotic and abiotic, and above- and below-ground processes. We propose developing a model platform for interdisciplinary usage, to formalize current network infrastructure based on complementarities and operational synergies, and to extend the reanalysis concept to the ecosystem and critical zone.
Kachinga Silwimba, Alejandro N. Flores, Irene Cionni, Sharon A. Billings, Pamela L. Sullivan, Hoori Ajami, Daniel R. Hirmas, and Li Li
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-713, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-713, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
This study evaluates the influence of soil hydraulic parameterizations on soil moisture simulations in CLM5 across the CONUS (1980–2010) using Empirical Orthogonal Function (EOF) analysis. Results reveal significant regional discrepancies, particularly in the Great Plains, where parameter uncertainty drives biases in soil moisture variability. Comparisons with ERA5-Land highlight seasonal mismatches, underscoring the need for improved soil parameterization to enhance land surface model accuracy.
James Stegen, Amy J. Burgin, Michelle H. Busch, Joshua B. Fisher, Joshua Ladau, Jenna Abrahamson, Lauren Kinsman-Costello, Li Li, Xingyuan Chen, Thibault Datry, Nate McDowell, Corianne Tatariw, Anna Braswell, Jillian M. Deines, Julia A. Guimond, Peter Regier, Kenton Rod, Edward K. P. Bam, Etienne Fluet-Chouinard, Inke Forbrich, Kristin L. Jaeger, Teri O'Meara, Tim Scheibe, Erin Seybold, Jon N. Sweetman, Jianqiu Zheng, Daniel C. Allen, Elizabeth Herndon, Beth A. Middleton, Scott Painter, Kevin Roche, Julianne Scamardo, Ross Vander Vorste, Kristin Boye, Ellen Wohl, Margaret Zimmer, Kelly Hondula, Maggi Laan, Anna Marshall, and Kaizad F. Patel
Biogeosciences, 22, 995–1034, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-995-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-995-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
The loss and gain of surface water (variable inundation) are common processes across Earth. Global change shifts variable inundation dynamics, highlighting a need for unified understanding that transcends individual variably inundated ecosystems (VIEs). We review the literature, highlight challenges, and emphasize opportunities to generate transferable knowledge by viewing VIEs through a common lens. We aim to inspire the emergence of a cross-VIE community based on a proposed continuum approach.
Lena Wang, Sharon Billings, Li Li, Daniel Hirmas, Keira Johnson, Devon Kerins, Julio Pachon, Curtis Beutler, Karla Jarecke, Vaishnavi Varikuti, Micah Unruh, Hoori Ajami, Holly Barnard, Alejandro Flores, Kenneth Williams, and Pamela Sullivan
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-70, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-70, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Our study looked at how different forest types and conditions affected soil microbes, and soil carbon and stability. Aspen organic matter led to higher microbial activity, smaller soil aggregates, and more stable soil carbon, possibly reducing dissolved organic carbon movement from hillslopes to streams. This shows the importance of models like the Microbial Efficiency – Matrix Stabilization framework for predicting CO2 release, soil carbon stability, and carbon movement.
Zewei Ma, Kaiyu Guan, Bin Peng, Wang Zhou, Robert Grant, Jinyun Tang, Murugesu Sivapalan, Ming Pan, Li Li, and Zhenong Jin
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2024-340, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2024-340, 2024
Preprint under review for HESS
Short summary
Short summary
We explore tile drainage’ impacts on the integrated hydrology-biogeochemistry-plant system, using ecosys with soil oxygen and microbe dynamics. We found that tile drainage lowers soil water content and improves soil oxygen levels, which helps crops grow better, especially during wet springs, and the developed root system also helps mitigate drought stress on dry summers. Overall, tile drainage increases crop resilience to climate change, making it a valuable future agricultural practice.
Gary Sterle, Julia Perdrial, Dustin W. Kincaid, Kristen L. Underwood, Donna M. Rizzo, Ijaz Ul Haq, Li Li, Byung Suk Lee, Thomas Adler, Hang Wen, Helena Middleton, and Adrian A. Harpold
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 28, 611–630, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-611-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-611-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We develop stream water chemistry to pair with the existing CAMELS (Catchment Attributes and Meteorology for Large-sample Studies) dataset. The newly developed dataset, termed CAMELS-Chem, includes common stream water chemistry constituents and wet deposition chemistry in 516 catchments. Examples show the value of CAMELS-Chem to trend and spatial analyses, as well as its limitations in sampling length and consistency.
Chao Wang, Stephen Leisz, Li Li, Xiaoying Shi, Jiafu Mao, Yi Zheng, and Anping Chen
Earth Syst. Dynam., 15, 75–90, https://doi.org/10.5194/esd-15-75-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/esd-15-75-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Climate change can significantly impact river runoff; however, predicting future runoff is challenging. Using historical runoff gauge data to evaluate model performances in runoff simulations for the Mekong River, we quantify future runoff changes in the Mekong River with the best simulation combination. Results suggest a significant increase in the annual runoff, along with varied seasonal distributions, thus heightening the need for adapted water resource management measures.
Wei Zhi, Yuning Shi, Hang Wen, Leila Saberi, Gene-Hua Crystal Ng, Kayalvizhi Sadayappan, Devon Kerins, Bryn Stewart, and Li Li
Geosci. Model Dev., 15, 315–333, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-15-315-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-15-315-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Watersheds are the fundamental Earth surface functioning unit that connects the land to aquatic systems. Here we present the recently developed BioRT-Flux-PIHM v1.0, a watershed-scale biogeochemical reactive transport model, to improve our ability to understand and predict solute export and water quality. The model has been verified against the benchmark code CrunchTope and has recently been applied to understand reactive transport processes in multiple watersheds of different conditions.
Hang Wen, Julia Perdrial, Benjamin W. Abbott, Susana Bernal, Rémi Dupas, Sarah E. Godsey, Adrian Harpold, Donna Rizzo, Kristen Underwood, Thomas Adler, Gary Sterle, and Li Li
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 24, 945–966, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-945-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-945-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Lateral carbon fluxes from terrestrial to aquatic systems remain central uncertainties in determining ecosystem carbon balance. This work explores how temperature and hydrology control production and export of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) at the catchment scale. Results illustrate the asynchrony of DOC production, controlled by temperature, and export, governed by flow paths; concentration–discharge relationships are determined by the relative contribution of shallow versus groundwater flow.
Leila Saberi, Rachel T. McLaughlin, G.-H. Crystal Ng, Jeff La Frenierre, Andrew D. Wickert, Michel Baraer, Wei Zhi, Li Li, and Bryan G. Mark
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 23, 405–425, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-23-405-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-23-405-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
The relationship among glacier melt, groundwater, and streamflow remains highly uncertain, especially in tropical glacierized watersheds in response to climate. We implemented a multi-method approach and found that melt contribution varies considerably and may drive streamflow variability at hourly to multi-year timescales, rather than buffer it, as commonly thought. Some of the melt contribution occurs through groundwater pathways, resulting in longer timescale interactions with streamflow.
Roland Baatz, Pamela L. Sullivan, Li Li, Samantha R. Weintraub, Henry W. Loescher, Michael Mirtl, Peter M. Groffman, Diana H. Wall, Michael Young, Tim White, Hang Wen, Steffen Zacharias, Ingolf Kühn, Jianwu Tang, Jérôme Gaillardet, Isabelle Braud, Alejandro N. Flores, Praveen Kumar, Henry Lin, Teamrat Ghezzehei, Julia Jones, Henry L. Gholz, Harry Vereecken, and Kris Van Looy
Earth Syst. Dynam., 9, 593–609, https://doi.org/10.5194/esd-9-593-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/esd-9-593-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
Focusing on the usage of integrated models and in situ Earth observatory networks, three challenges are identified to advance understanding of ESD, in particular to strengthen links between biotic and abiotic, and above- and below-ground processes. We propose developing a model platform for interdisciplinary usage, to formalize current network infrastructure based on complementarities and operational synergies, and to extend the reanalysis concept to the ecosystem and critical zone.
Christoph A. Lehmeier, Ford Ballantyne IV, Kyungjin Min, and Sharon A. Billings
Biogeosciences, 13, 3319–3329, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-3319-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-3319-2016, 2016
S. A. Billings, L. K. Tiemann, F. Ballantyne IV, C. A. Lehmeier, and K. Min
SOIL, 1, 313–330, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-1-313-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-1-313-2015, 2015
Short summary
Short summary
We highlight observations relevant to soil organic matter (SOM) decay and retention but often emanating from disparate fields. First, we describe relevant natural and artificial aquatic environments. Second, we describe how intrinsic patterns of decay kinetics for purified soil substrates are useful for defining baseline rates. Third, we describe theoretical advances important for the discipline. Last, we describe how these advances can be used to unravel the mysteries of deep SOM persistence.
Related subject area
Biogeochemistry: Soils
Distinct changes in carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus cycling in the litter layer across two contrasting forest–tundra ecotones
Effects of basalt, concrete fines, and steel slag on maize growth and toxic trace element accumulation in an enhanced weathering experiment
Depth effects of long-term organic residue application on soil organic carbon stocks in central Kenya
Validating laboratory predictions of soil rewetting respiration pulses using field data
Modelling the effect of climate–substrate interactions on soil organic matter decomposition with the Jena Soil Model
Solubility characteristics of soil humic substances as a function of pH: mechanisms and biogeochemical perspectives
Exploring microscale heterogeneity as a driver of biogeochemical transformations and gas transport in peat
Dissolved organic matter fosters core mercury-methylating microbiomes for methylmercury production in paddy soils
A microbially driven and depth-explicit soil organic carbon model constrained by carbon isotopes to reduce parameter equifinality
The incubation history of soil samples strongly affects the occlusion of particulate organic matter
Earth observation reveals reduced winter wheat growth and the importance of plant available water during drought
Plutonium concentrations link soil organic matter decline to wind erosion in ploughed soils of South Africa
Soils signal key mechanisms driving greater protection of organic carbon under aspen compared to spruce forests in a North American montane ecosystem
Litter biomass as a driver of soil VOC fluxes in a Mediterranean forest
A synthesis of Sphagnum litterbag experiments: initial leaching losses bias decomposition rate estimates
Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics in Subsoils After 20 years of Added Precipitation in a Mediterranean Grassland
Effect of straw retention and mineral fertilization on P speciation and P-transformation microorganisms in water- extractable colloids of a Vertisol
A new approach to continuous monitoring of carbon use efficiency and biosynthesis in soil microbes from measurement of CO2 and O2
Drivers of soil organic carbon from temperate to alpine forests: a model-based analysis of the Swiss forest soil inventory with Yasso20
Promoted phosphorus transformation by increasing soil microbial diversity and network complexity – A case of long-term mixed-species plantations of Eucalyptus with N-fixing tree species
Diverse organic carbon dynamics captured by radiocarbon analysis of distinct compound classes in a grassland soil
The effects of land use on soil carbon stocks in the UK
Technical note: A validated correction method to quantify organic and inorganic carbon in soils using Rock-Eval® thermal analysis
Vegetation patterns associated with nutrient availability and supply in high-elevation tropical Andean ecosystems
Technical note: An open-source, low-cost system for continuous monitoring of low nitrate concentrations in soil and open water
Long-term fertilization increases soil but not plant or microbial N in a Chihuahuan Desert grassland
Factors controlling spatiotemporal variability of soil carbon accumulation and stock estimates in a tidal salt marsh
Moisture and temperature effects on the radiocarbon signature of respired carbon dioxide to assess stability of soil carbon in the Tibetan Plateau
Non-mycorrhizal root-associated fungi increase soil C stocks and stability via diverse mechanisms
Nine years of warming and nitrogen addition in the Tibetan grassland promoted loss of soil organic carbon but did not alter the bulk change in chemical structure
Soil priming effects and involved microbial community along salt gradients
Adjustments to the Rock-Eval® thermal analysis for soil organic and inorganic carbon quantification
Ecosystem-specific patterns and drivers of global reactive iron mineral-associated organic carbon
Dark septate endophytic fungi associated with pioneer grass inhabiting volcanic deposits and their functions in promoting plant growth
Global patterns and drivers of phosphorus fractions in natural soils
Reviews and syntheses: Iron – a driver of nitrogen bioavailability in soils?
How well does ramped thermal oxidation quantify the age distribution of soil carbon? Assessing thermal stability of physically and chemically fractionated soil organic matter
Differential temperature sensitivity of intracellular metabolic processes and extracellular soil enzyme activities
Mapping soil organic carbon fractions for Australia, their stocks, and uncertainty
Technical note: The recovery rate of free particulate organic matter from soil samples is strongly affected by the method of density fractionation
Deforestation for agriculture leads to soil warming and enhanced litter decomposition in subarctic soils
Temperature sensitivity of soil organic carbon respiration along a forested elevation gradient in the Rwenzori Mountains, Uganda
The influence of elevated CO2 and soil depth on rhizosphere activity and nutrient availability in a mature Eucalyptus woodland
The paradox of assessing greenhouse gases from soils for nature-based solutions
Management-induced changes in soil organic carbon on global croplands
Pore network modeling as a new tool for determining gas diffusivity in peat
Temperature sensitivity of dark CO2 fixation in temperate forest soils
Effects of precipitation seasonality, irrigation, vegetation cycle and soil type on enhanced weathering – modeling of cropland case studies across four sites
Stable isotope profiles of soil organic carbon in forested and grassland landscapes in the Lake Alaotra basin (Madagascar): insights in past vegetation changes
Reviews and syntheses: The promise of big diverse soil data, moving current practices towards future potential
Frank Hagedorn, Josephine Imboden, Pavel A. Moiseev, Decai Gao, Emmanuel Frossard, Patrick Schleppi, Daniel Christen, Konstantin Gavazov, and Jasmin Fetzer
Biogeosciences, 22, 2959–2977, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-2959-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-2959-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
At treeline, plant species change abruptly from low-stature plants in tundra to trees in forests. Our study documents that from tundra towards forest, the litter layer becomes strongly enriched in nutrients. We show that these litter quality changes alter nutrient processing by soil microbes and increase nutrient release during decomposition in forests compared to tundra. The associated improvement in nutrient availability in forests potentially stimulates tree growth and treeline shifts.
Jet Rijnders, Arthur Vienne, and Sara Vicca
Biogeosciences, 22, 2803–2829, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-2803-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-2803-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
A mesocosm experiment was set up to investigate how maize responds to the application of basalt, concrete fines, and steel slag, using a dose–response approach. Biomass increased with basalt application but did not change with concrete fines or steel slag, except for increased tassel biomass. Mg, Ca, and Si generally increased in the crops, whereas toxic trace elements remained unaffected or even decreased in the plants. Overall, crops were positively affected by the application of silicate materials.
Claude Raoul Müller, Johan Six, Daniel Mugendi Njiru, Bernard Vanlauwe, and Marijn Van de Broek
Biogeosciences, 22, 2733–2747, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-2733-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-2733-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
We studied how different organic and inorganic nutrient inputs affect soil organic carbon (SOC) down to 70 cm in Kenya. After 19 years, all organic treatments increased SOC stocks compared with the control, but mineral nitrogen had no significant effect. Manure was the organic treatment that significantly increased SOC at the deepest soil depths, as its effect could be observed down to 60 cm. Manure was the best strategy to limit SOC loss in croplands and maintain soil quality after deforestation.
Xiankun Li, Marleen Pallandt, Dilip Naidu, Johannes Rousk, Gustaf Hugelius, and Stefano Manzoni
Biogeosciences, 22, 2691–2705, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-2691-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-2691-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
While laboratory studies have identified many drivers and their effects on the carbon emission pulse after rewetting of dry soils, a validation with field data is still missing. Here, we show that the carbon emission pulse in the laboratory and in the field increases with soil organic carbon and temperature, but their trends with pre-rewetting dryness and moisture increment at rewetting differ. We conclude that the laboratory findings can be partially validated.
Marleen Pallandt, Marion Schrumpf, Holger Lange, Markus Reichstein, Lin Yu, and Bernhard Ahrens
Biogeosciences, 22, 1907–1928, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-1907-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-1907-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
As soils warm due to climate change, soil organic carbon (SOC) decomposes faster due to increased microbial activity, given sufficient available moisture. We modelled the microbial decomposition of plant litter and residue at different depths and found that deep soil layers are more sensitive than topsoils. Warming causes SOC loss, but its extent depends on the litter type and its temperature sensitivity, which can either counteract or amplify losses. Droughts may also counteract warming-induced SOC losses.
Xuemei Yang, Jie Zhang, Khan M. G. Mostofa, Mohammad Mohinuzzaman, H. Henry Teng, Nicola Senesi, Giorgio S. Senesi, Jie Yuan, Yu Liu, Si-Liang Li, Xiaodong Li, Baoli Wang, and Cong-Qiang Liu
Biogeosciences, 22, 1745–1765, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-1745-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-1745-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
The solubility characteristics of soil humic acids (HAs), fulvic acids (FAs), and protein-like substances (PLSs) at varying pH levels remain unclear. The key findings include the following: HA solubility increases with increasing pH and decreases with decreasing pH; HApH6 and HApH1 contribute to 39.1–49.2% and 3.1–24.1% of dissolved organic carbon, respectively; and HApH2, FA, and PLSs are highly soluble at acidic pHs and are transported by ambient water. These issues are crucial for sustainable soil management.
Lukas Kohl, Petri Kiuru, Marjo Palviainen, Maarit Raivonen, Markku Koskinen, Mari Pihlatie, and Annamari Laurén
Biogeosciences, 22, 1711–1727, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-1711-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-1711-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
We present an assay to illuminate heterogeneity in biogeochemical transformations within peat samples. For this, we injected isotope-labeled acetate into peat cores and monitored the release of label-derived gases, which we compared to microtomography images. The fraction of label converted to CO2 and the rapidness of this conversion were linked to injection depth and air-filled porosity.
Qiang Pu, Bo Meng, Jen-How Huang, Kun Zhang, Jiang Liu, Yurong Liu, Mahmoud A. Abdelhafiz, and Xinbin Feng
Biogeosciences, 22, 1543–1556, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-1543-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-1543-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
This study examines the effect of dissolved organic matter (DOM) on microbial mercury (Hg) methylation in paddy soils. It uncovers that DOM regulates Hg methylation mainly through altering core Hg-methylating microbiome composition and boosting the growth of core Hg-methylating microorganisms. The study highlights that in the regulation of methylmercury formation in paddy soils, more attention should be paid to changes in DOM concentration and composition.
Marijn Van de Broek, Gerard Govers, Marion Schrumpf, and Johan Six
Biogeosciences, 22, 1427–1446, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-1427-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-1427-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Soil organic carbon models are used to predict how soils affect the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere. We show that equifinality – the phenomenon that different parameter values lead to correct overall model outputs, albeit with a different model behaviour – is an important source of model uncertainty. Our results imply that adding more complexity to soil organic carbon models is unlikely to lead to better predictions as long as more data to constrain model parameters are not available.
Frederick Büks, Sabine Dumke, and Julia König
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-771, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-771, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Ultrasonication followed by density fractionation is a frequently used method to determine soil structural stability and the amount of occluded particulate organic matter. Our analyses of three sandy, silty and loamy soils showed that air-drying and gentle rewetting changes SOM fractions depending on the subsequent time of reincubation compared to field-fresh samples. This is important, since e.g. the measurement of archived soils require the handling of air-dried samples.
Hanna Sjulgård, Lukas Valentin Graf, Tino Colombi, Juliane Hirte, Thomas Keller, and Helge Aasen
Biogeosciences, 22, 1341–1354, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-1341-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-1341-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Our study showed that stress-related crop response to changing environmental conditions can be detected by monitoring crops using satellite images at the landscape level. This could be useful for farmers to identify when stresses occur. Our results also suggest that satellite imagery can be used to discover soil impacts on crop development at farm fields. The inclusion of soil properties in satellite image analyses could further improve the accuracy of the prediction of drought stress on crops.
Joel Mohren, Hendrik Wiesel, Wulf Amelung, L. Keith Fifield, Alexandra Sandhage-Hofmann, Erik Strub, Steven A. Binnie, Stefan Heinze, Elmarie Kotze, Chris Du Preez, Stephen G. Tims, and Tibor J. Dunai
Biogeosciences, 22, 1077–1094, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-1077-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-1077-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
We measured concentrations of nuclear fallout in soil samples taken from arable land in South Africa. We find that during the second half of the 20th century, the data strongly correlate with the organic matter content of the soils. The finding implies that wind erosion strongly influenced the loss of organic matter in the soils we investigated. Furthermore, the exponential decline of fallout concentrations and organic matter content over time peaks shortly after native grassland is ploughed.
Lena Wang, Sharon Billings, Li Li, Daniel Hirmas, Keira Johnson, Devon Kerins, Julio Pachon, Curtis Beutler, Karla Jarecke, Vaishnavi Varikuti, Micah Unruh, Hoori Ajami, Holly Barnard, Alejandro Flores, Kenneth Williams, and Pamela Sullivan
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-70, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-70, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Our study looked at how different forest types and conditions affected soil microbes, and soil carbon and stability. Aspen organic matter led to higher microbial activity, smaller soil aggregates, and more stable soil carbon, possibly reducing dissolved organic carbon movement from hillslopes to streams. This shows the importance of models like the Microbial Efficiency – Matrix Stabilization framework for predicting CO2 release, soil carbon stability, and carbon movement.
Manon Rocco, Julien Kammer, Mathieu Santonja, Brice Temime-Roussel, Cassandra Saignol, Caroline Lecareux, Etienne Quivet, Henri Wortham, and Elena Ormeno
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-54, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-54, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Soil emissions of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) play a significant role in ecosystems, yet the impact of litter accumulation on these emissions is often overlooked, particularly in Mediterranean deciduous forests. A study in downy oak forest identified over 135 BVOCs, many absorbed by the soil, while others were emitted and increased with litter biomass. This underscores the critical role of litter and microbial activity in shaping soil BVOC dynamics under changing climates.
Henning Teickner, Edzer Pebesma, and Klaus-Holger Knorr
Biogeosciences, 22, 417–433, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-417-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-417-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Decomposition rates for Sphagnum mosses, the main peat-forming plants in northern peatlands, are often derived from litterbag experiments. Here, we estimate initial leaching losses from available Sphagnum litterbag experiments and analyze how decomposition rates are biased when initial leaching losses are ignored. Our analyses indicate that initial leaching losses range between 3 to 18 mass-% and that this may result in overestimated mass losses when extrapolated to several decades.
Leila Maria Wahab, Sora Kim, and Asmeret Asefaw Berhe
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3607, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3607, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Soils are a large reservoir of carbon on land and there is uncertainty regarding how it will be affected by climate change. There is still active research about how changing precipitation patterns, a key aspect of climate change, will affect soil carbon and furthermore how vulnerable subsoils are to climate change. In this study, we studied subsoils after 20 years of experimentally manipulated precipitation shifts to see whether increasing precipitation would affect carbon amounts and chemistry.
Shanshan Bai, Yifei Ge, Dongtan Yao, Yifan Wang, Jinfang Tan, Shuai Zhang, Yutao Peng, and Xiaoqian Jiang
Biogeosciences, 22, 135–151, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-135-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-135-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Mineral fertilization led to increases in total P, available P, high-activity inorganic P fractions, and organic P but reduced the abundance of P-cycling genes by decreasing soil pH and increasing P in bulk soil. Straw retention enhanced organic carbon, total P, and available P concentrations in water-extractable colloids (WECs). Abundances of the phoD gene and phoD-harboring Proteobacteria in WECs were elevated under straw retention, suggesting an increase in P-mineralization capacity.
Kyle E. Smart, Daniel O. Breecker, Christopher B. Blackwood, and Timothy M. Gallagher
Biogeosciences, 22, 87–101, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-87-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-87-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
When microbes consume carbon within soils, it is important to know how much carbon is respired and lost as carbon dioxide versus how much is used to make new biomass. We used a new approach of monitoring carbon dioxide and oxygen to track the fate of consumed carbon during a series of laboratory experiments where sugar was added to moistened soil. Our approach allowed us to estimate how much sugar was converted to dead microbial biomass, which is more likely to be preserved in soils.
Claudia Guidi, Sia Gosheva-Oney, Markus Didion, Roman Flury, Lorenz Walthert, Stephan Zimmermann, Brian J. Oney, Pascal A. Niklaus, Esther Thürig, Toni Viskari, Jari Liski, and Frank Hagedorn
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3788, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3788, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Predicting soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks in forests is crucial for assessing C balance, yet drivers of SOC stocks remain uncertain at large scales. Across a broad environmental gradient in Switzerland, we compared measured SOC stocks with those modelled by Yasso20, commonly used for GHG budgets. Our results show that soil mineral properties and climate are main controls of SOC stocks, indicating that better accounting of these processes will advance accuracy of SOC stock predictions.
Jiyin Li, Yeming You, Wen Zhang, Yi Wang, Yuying Liang, Haimei Huang, Hailun Ma, Qinxia He, Angang Ming, and Xueman Huang
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3456, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3456, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Monoculture of Eucalyptus can lead to soil degradation. In this study, we introduced nitrogen-fixing species in Eucalyptus plantations and investigated the effect of the introduction of nitrogen-fixing species on soil phosphorus transformation by soil microorganisms and their nitrogen-phosphorus cycling functional genes, which may be a promising forest management strategy to improve ecosystem phosphorus benefits.
Katherine E. Grant, Marisa N. Repasch, Kari M. Finstad, Julia D. Kerr, Maxwell Marple, Christopher J. Larson, Taylor A. B. Broek, Jennifer Pett-Ridge, and Karis J. McFarlane
Biogeosciences, 21, 4395–4411, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-4395-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-4395-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Soils store organic carbon composed of multiple compounds from plants and microbes for different lengths of time. To understand how soils store these different carbon types, we measure the time each carbon fraction is in a grassland soil profile. Our results show that the length of time each individual soil fraction is in our soil changes. Our approach allows a detailed look at the different components in soils. This study can help improve our understanding of soil dynamics.
Peter Levy, Laura Bentley, Peter Danks, Bridget Emmett, Angus Garbutt, Stephen Heming, Peter Henrys, Aidan Keith, Inma Lebron, Niall McNamara, Richard Pywell, John Redhead, David Robinson, and Alexander Wickenden
Biogeosciences, 21, 4301–4315, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-4301-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-4301-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We collated a large data set (15 790 soil cores) on soil carbon stock in different land uses. Soil carbon stocks were highest in woodlands and lowest in croplands. The variability in the effects was large. This has important implications for agri-environment schemes seeking to sequester carbon in the soil by altering land use because the effect of a given intervention is very hard to verify.
Marija Stojanova, Pierre Arbelet, François Baudin, Nicolas Bouton, Giovanni Caria, Lorenza Pacini, Nicolas Proix, Edouard Quibel, Achille Thin, and Pierre Barré
Biogeosciences, 21, 4229–4237, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-4229-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-4229-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Because of its importance for climate regulation and soil health, many studies focus on carbon dynamics in soils. However, quantifying organic and inorganic carbon remains an issue in carbonated soils. In this technical note, we propose a validated correction method to quantify organic and inorganic carbon in soils using Rock-Eval® thermal analysis. With this correction, the Rock-Eval® method has the potential to become the standard method for quantifying carbon in carbonate soils.
Armando Molina, Veerle Vanacker, Oliver Chadwick, Santiago Zhiminaicela, Marife Corre, and Edzo Veldkamp
Biogeosciences, 21, 3075–3091, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-3075-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-3075-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The tropical Andes contains unique landscapes where forest patches are surrounded by tussock grasses and cushion-forming plants. The aboveground vegetation composition informs us about belowground nutrient availability: patterns in plant-available nutrients resulted from strong biocycling of cations and removal of soil nutrients by plant uptake or leaching. Future changes in vegetation distribution will affect soil water and solute fluxes and the aquatic ecology of Andean rivers and lakes.
Sahiti Bulusu, Cristina Prieto García, Helen E. Dahlke, and Elad Levintal
Biogeosciences, 21, 3007–3013, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-3007-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-3007-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Do-it-yourself hardware is a new way to improve measurement resolution. We present a low-cost, automated system for field measurements of low nitrate concentrations in soil porewater and open water bodies. All data hardware components cost USD 1100, which is much cheaper than other available commercial solutions. We provide the complete building guide to reduce technical barriers, which we hope will allow easier reproducibility and set up new soil and environmental monitoring applications.
Violeta Mendoza-Martinez, Scott L. Collins, and Jennie R. McLaren
Biogeosciences, 21, 2655–2667, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-2655-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-2655-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We examine the impacts of multi-decadal nitrogen additions on a dryland ecosystem N budget, including the soil, microbial, and plant N pools. After 26 years, there appears to be little impact on the soil microbial or plant community and only minimal increases in N pools within the soil. While perhaps encouraging from a conservation standpoint, we calculate that greater than 95 % of the nitrogen added to the system is not retained and is instead either lost deeper in the soil or emitted as gas.
Sean Fettrow, Andrew Wozniak, Holly A. Michael, and Angelia L. Seyfferth
Biogeosciences, 21, 2367–2384, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-2367-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-2367-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Salt marshes play a big role in global carbon (C) storage, and C stock estimates are used to predict future changes. However, spatial and temporal gradients in C burial rates over the landscape exist due to variations in water inundation, dominant plant species and stage of growth, and tidal action. We quantified soil C concentrations in soil cores across time and space beside several porewater biogeochemical variables and discussed the controls on variability in soil C in salt marsh ecosystems.
Andrés Tangarife-Escobar, Georg Guggenberger, Xiaojuan Feng, Guohua Dai, Carolina Urbina-Malo, Mina Azizi-Rad, and Carlos A. Sierra
Biogeosciences, 21, 1277–1299, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-1277-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-1277-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Soil organic matter stability depends on future temperature and precipitation scenarios. We used radiocarbon (14C) data and model predictions to understand how the transit time of carbon varies under environmental change in grasslands and peatlands. Soil moisture affected the Δ14C of peatlands, while temperature did not have any influence. Our models show the correspondence between Δ14C and transit time and could allow understanding future interactions between terrestrial and atmospheric carbon
Emiko K. Stuart, Laura Castañeda-Gómez, Wolfram Buss, Jeff R. Powell, and Yolima Carrillo
Biogeosciences, 21, 1037–1059, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-1037-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-1037-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We inoculated wheat plants with various types of fungi whose impacts on soil carbon are poorly understood. After several months of growth, we examined both their impacts on soil carbon and the underlying mechanisms using multiple methods. Overall the fungi benefitted the storage of carbon in soil, mainly by improving the stability of pre-existing carbon, but several pathways were involved. This study demonstrates their importance for soil carbon storage and, therefore, climate change mitigation.
Huimin Sun, Michael W. I. Schmidt, Jintao Li, Jinquan Li, Xiang Liu, Nicholas O. E. Ofiti, Shurong Zhou, and Ming Nie
Biogeosciences, 21, 575–589, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-575-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-575-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
A soil organic carbon (SOC) molecular structure suggested that the easily decomposable and stabilized SOC is similarly affected after 9-year warming and N treatments despite large changes in SOC stocks. Given the long residence time of some SOC, the similar loss of all measurable chemical forms of SOC under global change treatments could have important climate consequences.
Haoli Zhang, Doudou Chang, Zhifeng Zhu, Chunmei Meng, and Kaiyong Wang
Biogeosciences, 21, 1–11, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-1-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-1-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Soil salinity mediates microorganisms and soil processes like soil organic carbon (SOC) cycling. We observed that negative priming effects at the early stages might be due to the preferential utilization of cottonseed meal. The positive priming that followed decreased with the increase in salinity.
Joséphine Hazera, David Sebag, Isabelle Kowalewski, Eric Verrecchia, Herman Ravelojaona, and Tiphaine Chevallier
Biogeosciences, 20, 5229–5242, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-5229-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-5229-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
This study adapts the Rock-Eval® protocol to quantify soil organic carbon (SOC) and soil inorganic carbon (SIC) on a non-pretreated soil aliquot. The standard protocol properly estimates SOC contents once the TOC parameter is corrected. However, it cannot complete the thermal breakdown of SIC amounts > 4 mg, leading to an underestimation of high SIC contents by the MinC parameter, even after correcting for this. Thus, the final oxidation isotherm is extended to 7 min to quantify any SIC amount.
Bo Zhao, Amin Dou, Zhiwei Zhang, Zhenyu Chen, Wenbo Sun, Yanli Feng, Xiaojuan Wang, and Qiang Wang
Biogeosciences, 20, 4761–4774, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-4761-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-4761-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
This study provided a comprehensive analysis of the spatial variability and determinants of Fe-bound organic carbon (Fe-OC) among terrestrial, wetland, and marine ecosystems and its governing factors globally. We illustrated that reactive Fe was not only an important sequestration mechanism for OC in terrestrial ecosystems but also an effective “rusty sink” of OC preservation in wetland and marine ecosystems, i.e., a key factor for long-term OC storage in global ecosystems.
Han Sun, Tomoyasu Nishizawa, Hiroyuki Ohta, and Kazuhiko Narisawa
Biogeosciences, 20, 4737–4749, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-4737-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-4737-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
In this research, we assessed the diversity and function of the dark septate endophytic (DSE) fungi community associated with Miscanthus condensatus root in volcanic ecosystems. Both metabarcoding and isolation were adopted in this study. We further validated effects on plant growth by inoculation of some core DSE isolates. This study helps improve our understanding of the role of Miscanthus condensatus-associated DSE fungi during the restoration of post-volcanic ecosystems.
Xianjin He, Laurent Augusto, Daniel S. Goll, Bruno Ringeval, Ying-Ping Wang, Julian Helfenstein, Yuanyuan Huang, and Enqing Hou
Biogeosciences, 20, 4147–4163, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-4147-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-4147-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
We identified total soil P concentration as the most important predictor of all soil P pool concentrations, except for primary mineral P concentration, which is primarily controlled by soil pH and only secondarily by total soil P concentration. We predicted soil P pools’ distributions in natural systems, which can inform assessments of the role of natural P availability for ecosystem productivity, climate change mitigation, and the functioning of the Earth system.
Imane Slimani, Xia Zhu-Barker, Patricia Lazicki, and William Horwath
Biogeosciences, 20, 3873–3894, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-3873-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-3873-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
There is a strong link between nitrogen availability and iron minerals in soils. These minerals have multiple outcomes for nitrogen availability depending on soil conditions and properties. For example, iron can limit microbial degradation of nitrogen in aerated soils but has opposing outcomes in non-aerated soils. This paper focuses on the multiple ways iron can affect nitrogen bioavailability in soils.
Shane W. Stoner, Marion Schrumpf, Alison Hoyt, Carlos A. Sierra, Sebastian Doetterl, Valier Galy, and Susan Trumbore
Biogeosciences, 20, 3151–3163, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-3151-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-3151-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Soils store more carbon (C) than any other terrestrial C reservoir, but the processes that control how much C stays in soil, and for how long, are very complex. Here, we used a recent method that involves heating soil in the lab to measure the range of C ages in soil. We found that most C in soil is decades to centuries old, while some stays for much shorter times (days to months), and some is thousands of years old. Such detail helps us to estimate how soil C may react to changing climate.
Adetunji Alex Adekanmbi, Laurence Dale, Liz Shaw, and Tom Sizmur
Biogeosciences, 20, 2207–2219, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-2207-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-2207-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
The decomposition of soil organic matter and flux of carbon dioxide are expected to increase as temperatures rise. However, soil organic matter decomposition is a two-step process whereby large molecules are first broken down outside microbial cells and then respired within microbial cells. We show here that these two steps are not equally sensitive to increases in soil temperature and that global warming may cause a shift in the rate-limiting step from outside to inside the microbial cell.
Mercedes Román Dobarco, Alexandre M. J-C. Wadoux, Brendan Malone, Budiman Minasny, Alex B. McBratney, and Ross Searle
Biogeosciences, 20, 1559–1586, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-1559-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-1559-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Soil organic carbon (SOC) is of a heterogeneous nature and varies in chemistry, stabilisation mechanisms, and persistence in soil. In this study we mapped the stocks of SOC fractions with different characteristics and turnover rates (presumably PyOC >= MAOC > POC) across Australia, combining spectroscopy and digital soil mapping. The SOC stocks (0–30 cm) were estimated as 13 Pg MAOC, 2 Pg POC, and 5 Pg PyOC.
Frederick Büks
Biogeosciences, 20, 1529–1535, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-1529-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-1529-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Ultrasonication with density fractionation of soils is a commonly used method to separate soil organic matter pools, which is, e.g., important to calculate carbon turnover in landscapes. It is shown that the approach that merges soil and dense solution without mixing has a low recovery rate and causes co-extraction of parts of the retained labile pool along with the intermediate pool. An alternative method with high recovery rates and no cross-contamination was recommended.
Tino Peplau, Christopher Poeplau, Edward Gregorich, and Julia Schroeder
Biogeosciences, 20, 1063–1074, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-1063-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-1063-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
We buried tea bags and temperature loggers in a paired-plot design in soils under forest and agricultural land and retrieved them after 2 years to quantify the effect of land-use change on soil temperature and litter decomposition in subarctic agricultural systems. We could show that agricultural soils were on average 2 °C warmer than forests and that litter decomposition was enhanced. The results imply that deforestation amplifies effects of climate change on soil organic matter dynamics.
Joseph Okello, Marijn Bauters, Hans Verbeeck, Samuel Bodé, John Kasenene, Astrid Françoys, Till Engelhardt, Klaus Butterbach-Bahl, Ralf Kiese, and Pascal Boeckx
Biogeosciences, 20, 719–735, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-719-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-719-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
The increase in global and regional temperatures has the potential to drive accelerated soil organic carbon losses in tropical forests. We simulated climate warming by translocating intact soil cores from higher to lower elevations. The results revealed increasing temperature sensitivity and decreasing losses of soil organic carbon with increasing elevation. Our results suggest that climate warming may trigger enhanced losses of soil organic carbon from tropical montane forests.
Johanna Pihlblad, Louise C. Andresen, Catriona A. Macdonald, David S. Ellsworth, and Yolima Carrillo
Biogeosciences, 20, 505–521, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-505-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-505-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Elevated CO2 in the atmosphere increases forest biomass productivity when growth is not limited by soil nutrients. This study explores how mature trees stimulate soil availability of nitrogen and phosphorus with free-air carbon dioxide enrichment after 5 years of fumigation. We found that both nutrient availability and processes feeding available pools increased in the rhizosphere, and phosphorus increased at depth. This appears to not be by decomposition but by faster recycling of nutrients.
Rodrigo Vargas and Van Huong Le
Biogeosciences, 20, 15–26, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-15-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-15-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Quantifying the role of soils in nature-based solutions requires accurate estimates of soil greenhouse gas (GHG) fluxes. We suggest that multiple GHG fluxes should not be simultaneously measured at a few fixed time intervals, but an optimized sampling approach can reduce bias and uncertainty. Our results have implications for assessing GHG fluxes from soils and a better understanding of the role of soils in nature-based solutions.
Kristine Karstens, Benjamin Leon Bodirsky, Jan Philipp Dietrich, Marta Dondini, Jens Heinke, Matthias Kuhnert, Christoph Müller, Susanne Rolinski, Pete Smith, Isabelle Weindl, Hermann Lotze-Campen, and Alexander Popp
Biogeosciences, 19, 5125–5149, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-5125-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-5125-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Soil organic carbon (SOC) has been depleted by anthropogenic land cover change and agricultural management. While SOC models often simulate detailed biochemical processes, the management decisions are still little investigated at the global scale. We estimate that soils have lost around 26 GtC relative to a counterfactual natural state in 1975. Yet, since 1975, SOC has been increasing again by 4 GtC due to a higher productivity, recycling of crop residues and manure, and no-tillage practices.
Petri Kiuru, Marjo Palviainen, Arianna Marchionne, Tiia Grönholm, Maarit Raivonen, Lukas Kohl, and Annamari Laurén
Biogeosciences, 19, 5041–5058, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-5041-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-5041-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Peatlands are large carbon stocks. Emissions of carbon dioxide and methane from peatlands may increase due to changes in management and climate. We studied the variation in the gas diffusivity of peat with depth using pore network simulations and laboratory experiments. Gas diffusivity was found to be lower in deeper peat with smaller pores and lower pore connectivity. However, gas diffusivity was not extremely low in wet conditions, which may reflect the distinctive structure of peat.
Rachael Akinyede, Martin Taubert, Marion Schrumpf, Susan Trumbore, and Kirsten Küsel
Biogeosciences, 19, 4011–4028, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-4011-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-4011-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Soils will likely become warmer in the future, and this can increase the release of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere. As microbes can take up soil CO2 and prevent further escape into the atmosphere, this study compares the rate of uptake and release of CO2 at two different temperatures. With warming, the rate of CO2 uptake increases less than the rate of release, indicating that the capacity to modulate soil CO2 release into the atmosphere will decrease under future warming.
Giuseppe Cipolla, Salvatore Calabrese, Amilcare Porporato, and Leonardo V. Noto
Biogeosciences, 19, 3877–3896, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-3877-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-3877-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Enhanced weathering (EW) is a promising strategy for carbon sequestration. Since models may help to characterize field EW, the present work applies a hydro-biogeochemical model to four case studies characterized by different rainfall seasonality, vegetation and soil type. Rainfall seasonality strongly affects EW dynamics, but low carbon sequestration suggests that an in-depth analysis at the global scale is required to see if EW may be effective to mitigate climate change.
Vao Fenotiana Razanamahandry, Marjolein Dewaele, Gerard Govers, Liesa Brosens, Benjamin Campforts, Liesbet Jacobs, Tantely Razafimbelo, Tovonarivo Rafolisy, and Steven Bouillon
Biogeosciences, 19, 3825–3841, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-3825-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-3825-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
In order to shed light on possible past vegetation shifts in the Central Highlands of Madagascar, we measured stable isotope ratios of organic carbon in soil profiles along both forested and grassland hillslope transects in the Lake Alaotra region. Our results show that the landscape of this region was more forested in the past: soils in the C4-dominated grasslands contained a substantial fraction of C3-derived carbon, increasing with depth.
Katherine E. O. Todd-Brown, Rose Z. Abramoff, Jeffrey Beem-Miller, Hava K. Blair, Stevan Earl, Kristen J. Frederick, Daniel R. Fuka, Mario Guevara Santamaria, Jennifer W. Harden, Katherine Heckman, Lillian J. Heran, James R. Holmquist, Alison M. Hoyt, David H. Klinges, David S. LeBauer, Avni Malhotra, Shelby C. McClelland, Lucas E. Nave, Katherine S. Rocci, Sean M. Schaeffer, Shane Stoner, Natasja van Gestel, Sophie F. von Fromm, and Marisa L. Younger
Biogeosciences, 19, 3505–3522, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-3505-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-3505-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Research data are becoming increasingly available online with tantalizing possibilities for reanalysis. However harmonizing data from different sources remains challenging. Using the soils community as an example, we walked through the various strategies that researchers currently use to integrate datasets for reanalysis. We find that manual data transcription is still extremely common and that there is a critical need for community-supported informatics tools like vocabularies and ontologies.
Cited articles
Abongwa, P. T. and Atekwana, E. A.: Controls on the chemical and isotopic
composition of carbonate springs during evolution to saturation with respect
to calcite, Chem. Geol., 404, 136–149, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemgeo.2015.03.024, 2015.
Ahrens, B., Braakhekke, M. C., Guggenberger, G., Schrumpf, M., and
Reichstein, M.: Contribution of sorption, DOC transport and microbial
interactions to the 14C age of a soil organic carbon profile: Insights from
a calibrated process model, Soil Biol. Biochem., 88, 390–402,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2015.06.008, 2015.
Andrews, J. A. and Schlesinger, W. H.: Soil CO2 dynamics, acidification,
and chemical weathering in a temperate forest with experimental CO2
enrichment, Global Biogeochem. Cy., 15, 149–162, https://doi.org/10.1029/2000gb001278,
2001.
Angers, D. A. and Caron, J.: Plant-induced changes in soil structure:
Processes and feedbacks, Biogeochemistry, 42, 55–72,
https://doi.org/10.1023/a:1005944025343, 1998.
Aragão, L. E. O. C., Malhi, Y., Metcalfe, D. B., Silva-Espejo, J. E., Jiménez, E., Navarrete, D., Almeida, S., Costa, A. C. L., Salinas, N., Phillips, O. L., Anderson, L. O., Alvarez, E., Baker, T. R., Goncalvez, P. H., Huamán-Ovalle, J., Mamani-Solórzano, M., Meir, P., Monteagudo, A., Patiño, S., Peñuela, M. C., Prieto, A., Quesada, C. A., Rozas-Dávila, A., Rudas, A., Silva Jr., J. A., and Vásquez, R.: Above- and below-ground net primary productivity across ten Amazonian forests on contrasting soils, Biogeosciences, 6, 2759–2778, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-6-2759-2009, 2009.
Archer, D. and Brovkin, V.: The millennial atmospheric lifetime of
anthropogenic CO2, Clim. Change, 90, 283–297, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-008-9413-1,
2008.
Beerling, D. J., Chaloner, W. G., Woodward, F. I., and Berner, R. A.: The
carbon cycle and carbon dioxide over Phanerozoic time: the role of land
plants, Philos. T. Roy. Soc. B, 353, 75–82, https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.1998.0192, 1998.
Bengtson, P. and Bengtsson, G.: Rapid turnover of DOC in temperate forests
accounts for increased CO2 production at elevated temperatures, Ecol.
Lett., 10, 783–790, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1461-0248.2007.01072.x, 2007.
Berner, E. K. and Berner, R. A.: Global environment: water, air, and
geochemical cycles, Princeton University Press, Princeton, USA, 2012.
Berner, R. A.: Weathering, plants, and the long-term carbon cycle,
Geochim. Cosmochim. Ac., 56, 3225–3231,
https://doi.org/10.1016/0016-7037(92)90300-8, 1992.
Berner, R. A.: Paleoclimate – The rise of plants and their effect on
weathering and atmospheric CO2, Science, 276, 544–546,
https://doi.org/10.1126/science.276.5312.544, 1997.
Beven, K. and Germann, P.: Macropores and water flow in soils revisited,
Water Resour. Res., 49, 3071–3092, https://doi.org/10.1002/wrcr.20156, 2013.
Billings, S. A., Hirmas, D., Sullivan, P. L., Lehmeier, C. A., Bagchi, S.,
Min, K., Brecheisen, Z., Hauser, E., Stair, R., Flournoy, R., and Richter,
D. D.: Loss of deep roots limits biogenic agents of soil development that
are only partially restored by decades of forest regeneration,
Elem. Sci. Anth., 6, 34–53 , https://doi.org/10.1525/elementa.287, 2018.
Brantley, S. L., Eissenstat, D. M., Marshall, J. A., Godsey, S. E., Balogh-Brunstad, Z., Karwan, D. L., Papuga, S. A., Roering, J., Dawson, T. E., Evaristo, J., Chadwick, O., McDonnell, J. J., and Weathers, K. C.: Reviews and syntheses: on the roles trees play in building and plumbing the critical zone, Biogeosciences, 14, 5115–5142, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-5115-2017, 2017a.
Brantley, S. L., Lebedeva, M. I., Balashov, V. N., Singha, K., Sullivan, P.
L., and Stinchcomb, G.: Toward a conceptual model relating chemical reaction
fronts to water flow paths in hills, Geomorphology, 277, 100–117,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2016.09.027, 2017b.
Breecker, D. O., Sharp, Z. D., and McFadden, L. D.: Atmospheric CO2
concentrations during ancient greenhouse climates were similar to those
predicted for AD 2100, P. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 107, 576–580, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0902323106, 2010.
Brunner, I., Herzog, C., Dawes, M. A., Arend, M., and Sperisen, C.: How tree
roots respond to drought, Front. Plant Sci., 6, 547,
doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2015.00547, 2015.
Calmels, D., Gaillardet, J., and Francois, L.: Sensitivity of carbonate
weathering to soil CO2 production by biological activity along a temperate
climate transect, Chem. Geol., 390, 74–86, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemgeo.2014.10.010,
2014.
Canadell, J., Jackson, R. B., Ehleringer, J. R., Mooney, H. A., Sala, O. E.,
and Schulze, E. D.: Maximum rooting depth of vegetation types at the global
scale, Oecologia, 108, 583–595, https://doi.org/10.1007/bf00329030, 1996.
Carey, J. C., Tang, J. W., Templer, P. H., Kroeger, K. D., Crowther, T. W.,
Burton, A. J., Dukes, J. S., Emmett, B., Frey, S. D., Heskel, M. A., Jiang,
L., Machmuller, M. B., Mohan, J., Panetta, A. M., Reich, P. B., Reinsch, S.,
Wang, X., Allison, S. D., Bamminger, C., Bridgham, S., Collins, S. L., De
Dato, G., Eddy, W. C., Enquist, B. J., Estiarte, M., Harte, J., Henderson,
A., Johnson, B. R., Larsen, K. S., Luo, Y., Marhan, S., Melillo, J. M.,
Peuelas, J., Pfeifer-Meister, L., Poll, C., Rastetter, E., Reinmann, A. B.,
Reynolds, L. L., Schmidt, I. K., Shaver, G. R., Strong, A. L., Suseela, V.,
and Tietema, A.: Temperature response of soil respiration largely unaltered
with experimental warming, P. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 113, 13797–13802, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.160536511,
2016.
Cerling, T. E.: The stable isotopic composition of modern soil carbonate and
its relationship to climate, Earth Planet. Sc. Lett., 71, 229–240,
https://doi.org/10.1016/0012-821x(84)90089-x, 1984.
Cheng, J. H., Zhang, H. J., Wang, W., Zhang, Y. Y., and Chen, Y. Z.: Changes
in Preferential Flow Path Distribution and Its Affecting Factors in
Southwest China, Soil Sci., 176, 652–660, https://doi.org/10.1097/SS.0b013e31823554ef,
2011.
Cole, J. J., Prairie, Y. T., Caraco, N. F., McDowell, W. H., Tranvik, L. J.,
Striegl, R. G., Duarte, C. M., Kortelainen, P., Downing, J. A., Middelburg,
J. J., and Melack, J.: Plumbing the global carbon cycle: Integrating inland
waters into the terrestrial carbon budget, Ecosystems, 10, 171–184,
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10021-006-9013-8, 2007.
Costa, A.: Permeability relationship: A reexamination of the
Kozeny equation based on a fractal pore geometry assumption,
Geophys. Res. Lett., 33, L02318, https://doi.org/10.1029/2005GL025134, 2006.
Covington, M. D., Gulley, J. D., and Gabrovsek, F.: Natural variations in
calcite dissolution rates in streams: Controls, implications, and open
questions, Geophys. Res. Lett., 42, 2836–2843, https://doi.org/10.1002/2015gl063044, 2015.
Dandurand, J. L., Gout, R., Hoefs, J., Menschel, G., Schott, J., and
Usdowski, E.: Kinetically controlled variations of major components and
carbon and oxygen isotopes in a calcite-precipitating spring, Chem. Geol., 36, 299–315, https://doi.org/10.1016/0009-2541(82)90053-5, 1982.
Deng, H., Voltolini, M., Molins, S., Steefel, C., DePaolo, D., Ajo-Franklin,
J., and Yang, L.: Alteration and Erosion of Rock Matrix Bordering a
Carbonate-Rich Shale Fracture, Environ. Sci. Tech., 51,
8861–8868, https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.7b02063, 2017.
Drever, J. I.: The effect of land plants on weathering rates of silicate
minerals, Geochim. Cosmochim. Ac., 58, 2325–2332,
https://doi.org/10.1016/0016-7037(94)90013-2, 1994.
Eberbach, P. L.: The eco-hydrology of partly cleared, native ecosystems in
southern Australia: a review, Plant Soil, 257, 357–369,
https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1027392703312, 2003.
Fan, Y., Miguez-Macho, G., Jobbagy, E. G., Jackson, R. B., and Otero-Casal,
C.: Hydrologic regulation of plant rooting depth, P. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 114, 10572–10577, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1712381114, 2017.
Frank, D. A., Pontes, A. W., Maine, E. M., Caruana, J., Raina, R., Raina,
S., and Fridley, J. D.: Grassland root communities: species distributions
and how they are linked to aboveground abundance, Ecology, 91, 3201–3209,
https://doi.org/10.1890/09-1831.1, 2010.
Gaillardet, J., Calmels, D., Romero-Mujalli, G., Zakharova, E., and
Hartmann, J.: Global climate control on carbonate weathering intensity, Chem.
Geol., 527, 118762, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemgeo.2018.05.009, 2019.
Gill, R. A., Kelly, R. H., Parton, W. J., Day, K. A., Jackson, R. B.,
Morgan, J. A., Scurlock, J. M. O., Tieszen, L. L., Castle, J. V., Ojima, D.
S., and Zhang, X. S.: Using simple environmental variables to estimate
below-ground productivity in grasslands, Global Ecol. Biogeogr.,
11, 79–86, https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1466-822X.2001.00267.x, 2002.
Goddéris, Y., Williams, J. Z., Schott, J., Pollard, D., and Brantley, S.
L.: Time evolution of the mineralogical composition of Mississippi Valley
loess over the last 10 kyr: Climate and geochemical modeling, Geochim.
Cosmochim. Ac., 74, 6357–6374, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gca.2010.08.023, 2010.
Gupta, A., Rico-Medina, A., and Cano-Delgado, A. I.: The physiology of plant
responses to drought, Science, 368, 266–269, https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aaz7614, 2020.
Harman, C. J. and Cosans, C. L.: A low-dimensional model of bedrock
weathering and lateral flow coevolution in hillslopes: 2. Controls on
weathering and permeability profiles, drainage hydraulics, and solute export
pathways, Hydrol. Process., 33, 1168–1190, https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.13385, 2019.
Harper, C. W., Blair, J. M., Fay, P. A., Knapp, A. K., and Carlisle, J. D.:
Increased rainfall variability and reduced rainfall amount decreases soil
CO2 flux in a grassland ecosystem, Global Change Biol., 11, 322–334,
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2486.2005.00899.x, 2005.
Hartmann, A., Goldscheider, N., Wagener, T., Lange, J., and Weiler, M.:
Karst water resources in a changing world: Review of hydrological modeling
approaches, Rev. Geophys., 52, 218–242, https://doi.org/10.1002/2013RG000443, 2014.
Hasenmueller, E. A., Jin, L. X., Stinchcomb, G. E., Lin, H., Brantley, S.
L., and Kaye, J. P.: Topographic controls on the depth distribution of soil
CO2 in a small temperate watershed, Appl. Geochem., 63, 58–69,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apgeochem.2015.07.005, 2015.
Hasenmueller, E. A., Gu, X., Weitzman, J. N., Adams, T. S., Stinchcomb, G.
E., Eissenstat, D. M., Drohan, P. J., Brantley, S. L., and Kaye, J. P.:
Weathering of rock to regolith: The activity of deep roots in bedrock
fractures, Geoderma, 300, 11–31, doi:/10.1016/j.geoderma.2017.03.020,
2017.
Hauser, E., Richter, D. D., Markewitz, D., Brecheisen, Z., and Billings, S.
A.: Persistent anthropogenic legacies structure depth dependence of
regenerating rooting systems and their functions, Biogeochemistry, 147,
259–275, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10533-020-00641-2, 2020.
Heimann, M. and Reichstein, M.: Terrestrial ecosystem carbon dynamics and
climate feedbacks, Nature, 451, 289–292, https://doi.org/10.1038/nature06591, 2008.
Houghton, R. A.: Balancing the global carbon budget, Annu. Rev. Earth
Pl. Sc., 35, 313–347, https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.earth.35.031306.140057,
2007.
Huang, F., Zhang, C. L., Xie, Y. C., Li, L., and Cao, J. H.: Inorganic
carbon flux and its source in the karst catchment of Maocun, Guilin, China,
Environ, Earth Sci, 74, 1079–1089, https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-015-4478-4,
2015.
Husic, A., Fox, J., Adams, E., Ford, W., Agouridis, C., Currens, J., and Backus, J.: Nitrate Pathways, Processes, and Timing in an Agricultural Karst System: Development and Application of a Numerical Model, Water Resour. Res., 55, 2079–2103, 2019.
Jackson, R. B., Canadell, J., Ehleringer, J. R., Mooney, H. A., Sala, O. E.,
and Schulze, E. D.: A global analysis of root distributions for terrestrial
biomes, Oecologia, 108, 389–411, https://doi.org/10.1007/bf00333714, 1996.
Jiang, H., Deng, Q., Zhou, G., Hui, D., Zhang, D., Liu, S., Chu, G., and Li, J.: Responses of soil respiration and its temperature/moisture sensitivity to precipitation in three subtropical forests in southern China, Biogeosciences, 10, 3963–3982, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-10-3963-2013, 2013.
Jobbagy, E. G. and Jackson, R. B.: The vertical distribution of soil
organic carbon and its relation to climate and vegetation, Ecol.
Appl., 10, 423–436, https://doi.org/10.2307/2641104, 2000.
Kanduc, T., Mori, N., Kocman, D., Stibilj, V., and Grassa, F.:
Hydrogeochemistry of Alpine springs from North Slovenia: Insights from
stable isotopes, Chem. Geol., 300, 40–54, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemgeo.2012.01.012, 2012.
Kirchner, J. W.: Aggregation in environmental systems – Part 1: Seasonal tracer cycles quantify young water fractions, but not mean transit times, in spatially heterogeneous catchments, Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 20, 279–297, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-20-279-2016, 2016.
Kirchner, J. W.: Quantifying new water fractions and transit time distributions using ensemble hydrograph separation: theory and benchmark tests, Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 23, 303–349, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-23-303-2019, 2019.
Knapp, A. and Ojima, D.: NPP Grassland: Konza Prairie, USA, 1984-1990, R1,
ORNL DAAC, https://doi.org/10.3334/ORNLDAAC/148, 2014.
Kozeny, J.: Über kapillare Leitung des Wassers im Boden, Royal Academy of
Science, Vienna, 136, 271–306, 1927.
Lambers, H., Mougel, C., Jaillard, B., and Hinsinger, P.: Plant-microbe-soil
interactions in the rhizosphere: an evolutionary perspective, Plant Soil, 321, 83–115, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-009-0042-x, 2009.
Lawrence, C., Harden, J., and Maher, K.: Modeling the influence of organic
acids on soil weathering, Geochim. Cosmochim. Ac., 139, 487–507,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gca.2014.05.003, 2014.
Lebedeva, M. I. and Brantley, S. L.: Exploring geochemical controls on
weathering and erosion of convex hillslopes: beyond the empirical regolith
production function, Earth Surf. Proc. Land., 38, 1793–1807,
https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.3424, 2013.
Lett, M. S., Knapp, A. K., Briggs, J. M., and Blair, J. M.: Influence of
shrub encroachment on aboveground net primary productivity and carbon and
nitrogen pools in a mesic grassland, Can. J. Bot., 82, 1363–1370, https://doi.org/10.1139/b04-088, 2004.
Li, L., Bao, C., Sullivan, P. L., Brantley, S., Shi, Y. N., and Duffy, C.:
Understanding watershed hydrogeochemistry: 2. Synchronized hydrological and
geochemical processes drive stream chemostatic behavior, Water Resour. Res.,
53, 2346–2367, https://doi.org/10.1002/2016wr018935, 2017.
Li, Y., Wang, Y. G., Houghton, R. A., and Tang, L. S.: Hidden carbon sink
beneath desert, Geophys. Res. Lett., 42, 5880–5887, https://doi.org/10.1002/2015gl064222, 2015.
Li, L.: Watershed reactive transport, in: Reviews in Mineralogy & Geochemistry: Reactive transport in natural and engineered systems, edited by: Druhan, J. and Tournassat, C., Mineralogical Society of America, https://doi.org/10.2138/rmg.2018.85.13, 2019.
Li, L., Sullivan, P. L., Benettin, P., Cirpka, O. A., Bishop, K., Brantley, S. L., Knapp, J. L. A., van Meerveld, I., Rinaldo, A., Seibert, J., Wen, H., and Kirchner, J. W.: Toward catchment hydro-biogeochemical theories, WIREs Water, https://doi.org/10.1002/wat2.1495, 2020.
Lopez-Chicano, M., Bouamama, M., Vallejos, A., and Pulido-Bosch, A.: Factors
which determine the hydrogeochemical behaviour of karstic springs. A case
study from the Betic Cordilleras, Spain, Appl. Geochem., 16, 1179–1192,
https://doi.org/10.1016/s0883-2927(01)00012-9, 2001.
Luyssaert, S., Schulze, E. D., Borner, A., Knohl, A., Hessenmoller, D., Law,
B. E., Ciais, P., and Grace, J.: Old-growth forests as global carbon sinks,
Nature, 455, 213–215, https://doi.org/10.1038/nature07276, 2008.
Ma, J., Liu, R., Tang, L.-S., Lan, Z.-D., and Li, Y.: A downward CO2 flux seems to have nowhere to go, Biogeosciences, 11, 6251–6262, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-11-6251-2014, 2014.
Macpherson, G. L.: Hydrogeology of thin limestones: The Konza Prairie
Long-Term Ecological Research Site, Northeastern Kansas, J. Hydrol., 186,
191–228, https://doi.org/10.1016/s0022-1694(96)03029-6, 1996.
Macpherson, G. L.: AGW01 Long-term measurement of groundwater physical and chemical properties from wells on watershed N04D at Konza Prairie, Environmental Data Initiative, available at: http://lter.konza.ksu.edu/data (last access: 22 November 2020), 2019.
Macpherson, G. L. and Sullivan, P. L.: Dust, impure calcite, and
phytoliths: Modeled alternative sources of chemical weathering solutes in
shallow groundwater, Chem. Geol., 527, 118871, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemgeo.2018.08.007,
2019a.
Macpherson, G. L. and Sullivan, P. L.: Watershed-scale chemical weathering in a merokarst terrain, northeastern Kansas, USA, Chem. Geol., 527, 118988, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemgeo.2018.12.001, 2019b.
Macpherson, G. L., Roberts, J. A., Blair, J. M., Townsend, M. A., Fowle, D.
A., and Beisner, K. R.: Increasing shallow groundwater CO2 and limestone
weathering, Konza Prairie, USA, Geochim. Cosmochim. Ac., 72,
5581–5599, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gca.2008.09.004, 2008.
Mazvimavi, D., Meijerink, A. M. J., and Stein, A.: Prediction of base flows
from basin characteristics: a case study from Zimbabwe, Hydrolog.
Sci. J., 49, 703–715,
https://doi.org/10.1623/hysj.49.4.703.54428, 2004.
Mazzacavallo, M. G. and Kulmatiski, A.: Modelling Water Uptake Provides a
New Perspective on Grass and Tree Coexistence, Plos One, 10, e0144300,
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0144300, 2015.
McGuire, K. J. and McDonnell, J. J.: A review and evaluation of catchment
transit time modeling, J. Hydrol., 330, 543–563,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2006.04.020, 2006.
Moral, F., Cruz-Sanjulian, J. J., and Olias, M.: Geochemical evolution of
groundwater in the carbonate aquifers of Sierra de Segura (Betic Cordillera,
southern Spain), J. Hydrol., 360, 281–296, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2008.07.012,
2008.
Moriasi, D. N., Arnold, J. G., Van Liew, M. W., Bingner, R. L., Harmel, R.
D., and Veith, T. L.: Model evaluation guidelines for systematic
quantification of accuracy in watershed simulations, T. Asabe, 50, 885–900, https://doi.org/10.13031/2013.23153, 2007.
Mottershead, D. N., Baily, B., Collier, P., and Inkpen, R. J.:
Identification and quantification of weathering by plant roots, Build.
Environ., 38, 1235–1241, https://doi.org/10.1016/s0360-1323(03)00080-5, 2003.
Nardini, A., Casolo, V., Dal Borgo, A., Savi, T., Stenni, B., Bertoncin, P.,
Zini, L., and McDowell, N. G.: Rooting depth, water relations and
non-structural carbohydrate dynamics in three woody angiosperms
differentially affected by an extreme summer drought, Plant Cell Environ., 39, 618–627, https://doi.org/10.1111/pce.12646, 2016.
Neff, J. C. and Hooper, D. U.: Vegetation and climate controls on potential
CO2, DOC and DON production in northern latitude soils, Glob. Change Biol., 8, 872–884, https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2486.2002.00517.x, 2002.
Nepstad, D. C., Decarvalho, C. R., Davidson, E. A., Jipp, P. H., Lefebvre,
P. A., Negreiros, G. H., Dasilva, E. D., Stone, T. A., Trumbore, S. E., and
Vieira, S.: The role of deep roots in the hydrological and carbon cycles of
amazonian forests and pastures, Nature, 372, 666–669, https://doi.org/10.1038/372666a0,
1994.
Nippert, J. B., Wieme, R. A., Ocheltree, T. W., and Craine, J. M.: Root
characteristics of C4 grasses limit reliance on deep soil water in
tallgrass prairie, Plant Soil, 355, 385–394, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-011-1112-4,
2012.
Noguchi, S., Tsuboyama, Y., Sidle, R. C., and Hosoda, I.: Spatially
distributed morphological characteristics of macropores in forest soils of
Hitachi Ohta Experimental Watershed, Japan, J. For. Res.-Jpn., 2,
207–215, https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02348317, 1997.
Oades, J. M.: The role of biology in the formation, stabilization and
degradation of soil structure, Geoderma, 56, 377–400,
https://doi.org/10.1016/0016-7061(93)90123-3, 1993.
Ozkul, M., Gokgoz, A., and Horvatincic, N.: Depositional properties and
geochemistry of Holocene perched springline tufa deposits and associated
spring waters: a case study from the Denizli Province, Western Turkey, in:
Tufas and Speleothems: Unravelling the Microbial and Physical Controls,
edited by: Pedley, H. M. and Rogerson, M., Geological Society Special
Publication, London, UK, 245–262, 2010.
Palandri, J. L. and Kharaka, Y. K.: A compilation of rate parameters of
water-mineral interaction kinetics for application to geochemical modeling,
U. S. Geological Survey, Menlo Park CA, USA, 70 pp., 2004.
Patrick, L., Cable, J., Potts, D., Ignace, D., Barron-Gafford, G., Griffith,
A., Alpert, H., Van Gestel, N., Robertson, T., Huxman, T. E., Zak, J., Loik,
M. E., and Tissue, D.: Effects of an increase in summer precipitation on
leaf, soil, and ecosystem fluxes of CO2 and H2O in a sotol grassland in Big Bend National Park, Texas, Oecologia, 151, 704–718,
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-006-0621-y, 2007.
Pawlik, L., Phillips, J. D., and Samonil, P.: Roots, rock, and regolith:
Biomechanical and biochemical weathering by trees and its impact on
hillslopes – A critical literature review, Earth-Sci. Rev., 159, 142–159,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earscirev.2016.06.002, 2016.
Pennell, K. D., Boyd, S. A., and Abriola, L. M.: Surface-area of soil
organic-matter reexamined, Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., 59,
1012–1018, https://doi.org/10.2136/sssaj1995.03615995005900040008x, 1995.
Phillips, J. D.: Weathering instability and landscape evolution,
Geomorphology, 67, 255–272, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2004.06.012, 2005.
Pierret, A., Maeght, J. L., Clement, C., Montoroi, J. P., Hartmann, C., and
Gonkhamdee, S.: Understanding deep roots and their functions in ecosystems:
an advocacy for more unconventional research, Ann. Bot.-London, 118,
621–635, https://doi.org/10.1093/aob/mcw130, 2016.
Pittman, E. D. and Lewan, M. D.: Organic acids in geological processes,
Springer Science Business Media, Berlin, Germany, 2012.
Plummer, L., Wigley, T., and Parkhurst, D.: The kinetics of calcite
dissolution in CO2-water systems at 5 degrees to 60 degrees C and 0.0 to
1.0 atm CO2, Am, J, Sci,, 278, 179–216, https://doi.org/10.2475/ajs.278.2.179, 1978.
Price, K.: Effects of watershed topography, soils, land use, and climate on
baseflow hydrology in humid regions: A review, Prog. Phys.
Geog., 35, 465–492, https://doi.org/10.1177/0309133311402714, 2011.
Renard, P. and Allard, D.: Connectivity metrics for subsurface flow and
transport, Adv. Water Resour., 51, 168–196, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.advwatres.2011.12.001,
2013.
Richter, D. D. and Billings, S. A.: `One physical system': Tansley's
ecosystem as Earth's critical zone, New Phytol., 206, 900–912,
https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.13338, 2015.
Romero-Mujalli, G., Hartmann, J., and Börker, J.: Temperature and CO2
dependency of global carbonate weathering fluxes – Implications for future
carbonate weathering research, Chem. Geol., 527, 118874,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemgeo.2018.08.010, 2019a.
Romero-Mujalli, G., Hartmann, J., Börker, J., Gaillardet, J., and
Calmels, D.: Ecosystem controlled soil-rock pCO2 and carbonate
weathering – Constraints by temperature and soil water content, Chem. Geol.,
527, 118634, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemgeo.2018.01.030, 2019b.
Sadras, V. O.: Influence of size of rainfall events on water-driven
processes I. Water budget of wheat crops in south-eastern Australia, Aust.
J. Agric. Res., 54, 341–351, https://doi.org/10.1071/ar02112, 2003.
Salehikhoo, F. and Li, L.: The role of magnesite spatial distribution patterns in determining dissolution rates: When do they matter?, Geochim. Cosmochim. Ac., 155, 107–121, 2015.
Scholes, R. J. and Archer, S. R.: Tree-grass interactions in savannas,
Annu. Rev. Ecol. Syst., 28, 517–544,
https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.ecolsys.28.1.517, 1997.
Sprenger, M., Stumpp, C., Weiler, M., Aeschbach, W., Allen, S. T., Benettin,
P., Dubbert, M., Hartmann, A., Hrachowitz, M., Kirchner, J. W., McDonnell,
J. J., Orlowski, N., Penna, D., Pfahl, S., Rinderer, M., Rodriguez, N.,
Schmidt, M., and Werner, C.: The Demographics of Water: A Review of Water
Ages in the Critical Zone, Rev. Geophys., 57, 800–834, https://doi.org/10.1029/2018rg000633,
2019.
Steefel, C. I., Appelo, C. A. J., Arora, B., Jacques, D., Kalbacher, T.,
Kolditz, O., Lagneau, V., Lichtner, P. C., Mayer, K. U., Meeussen, J. C. L.,
Molins, S., Moulton, D., Shao, H., Šimůnek, J., Spycher, N.,
Yabusaki, S. B., and Yeh, G. T.: Reactive transport codes for subsurface
environmental simulation, Computat. Geosci., 19, 445–478,
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10596-014-9443-x, 2015.
Stevens, N., Lehmann, C. E. R., Murphy, B. P., and Durigan, G.: Savanna
woody encroachment is widespread across three continents, Glob. Change
Biol., 23, 235–244, https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.13409, 2017.
Steward, D. R., Yang, X., Lauwo, S. Y., Staggenborg, S. A., Macpherson, G. L., and Welch, S. M.: From precipitation to groundwater baseflow in a native prairie ecosystem: a regional study of the Konza LTER in the Flint Hills of Kansas, USA, Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 15, 3181–3194, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-15-3181-2011, 2011.
Sullivan, P. L., Stops, M. W., Macpherson, G. L., Li, L., Hirmas, D. R., and
Dodds, W. K.: How landscape heterogeneity governs stream water
concentration-discharge behavior in carbonate terrains (Konza Prairie, USA),
Chem. Geol., 527, 118989, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemgeo.2018.12.002, 2019a.
Sullivan, P. L., Macpherson, G. L., Martin, J. B. and Price, R. M.: Evolution of carbonate and karst critical zones, Chem. Geol., 527, 119223, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemgeo.2019.06.023, 2019b.
Tsypin, M. and Macpherson, G. L.: The effect of precipitation events on
inorganic carbon in soil and shallow groundwater, Konza Prairie LTER Site,
NE Kansas, USA, Appl. Geochem., 27, 2356–2369,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apgeochem.2012.07.008, 2012.
Vargas, R., Collins, S. L., Thomey, M. L., Johnson, J. E., Brown, R. F.,
Natvig, D. O., and Friggens, M. T.: Precipitation variability and fire
influence the temporal dynamics of soil CO2 efflux in an arid grassland,
Glob. Change Biol., 18, 1401–1411, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2486.2011.02628.x, 2012.
Vero, S. E., Macpherson, G. L., Sullivan, P. L., Brookfield, A. E., Nippert, J. B., Kirk, M. F., Datta, S., and Kempton, P.: Developing a Conceptual Framework of Landscape and Hydrology on Tallgrass Prairie: A Critical Zone Approach, Vadose Zone Journal, 17, https://doi.org/10.2136/vzj2017.03.0069, 2018.
Vergani, C. and Graf, F.: Soil permeability, aggregate stability and root
growth: a pot experiment from a soil bioengineering perspective,
Ecohydrology, 9, 830–842, https://doi.org/10.1002/eco.1686, 2016.
Wang, J. A., Sulla-Menashe, D., Woodcock, C. E., Sonnentag, O., Keeling, R.
F., and Friedl, M. A.: Extensive land cover change across Arctic-Boreal
Northwestern North America from disturbance and climate forcing, Glob.
Change Biol., 26, 807–822, https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.14804, 2020.
Ward, D., Wiegand, K., and Getzin, S.: Walter's two-layer hypothesis
revisited: back to the roots!, Oecologia, 172, 617–630,
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-012-2538-y, 2013.
Watson, K. W. and Luxmoore, R. J.: Estimating macroporosity in a forest
watershed by use of a tension infiltrometer, Soil Sci. Soc. Am.
J., 50, 578–582, https://doi.org/10.2136/sssaj1986.03615995005000030007x, 1986.
Weiler, M. and Naef, F.: An experimental tracer study of the role of
macropores in infiltration in grassland soils, Hydrol. Process., 17,
477–493, https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.1136, 2003.
Wen, H. and Li, L.: An upscaled rate law for magnesite dissolution in
heterogeneous porous media, Geochim. Cosmochim. Ac., 210, 289–305,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gca.2017.04.019, 2017.
Wen, H. and Li, L.: An upscaled rate law for mineral dissolution in
heterogeneous media: The role of time and length scales, Geochim. Cosmochim.
Ac., 235, 1–20, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gca.2018.04.024, 2018.
Wen, H., Li, L., Crandall, D., and Hakala, A.: Where lower calcite abundance
creates more alteration: enhanced rock matrix diffusivity induced by
preferential dissolution, Energy Fuels, 30, 4197–4208,
https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.energyfuels.5b02932, 2016.
Wen, H., Perdrial, J., Abbott, B. W., Bernal, S., Dupas, R., Godsey, S. E., Harpold, A., Rizzo, D., Underwood, K., Adler, T., Sterle, G., and Li, L.: Temperature controls production but hydrology regulates export of dissolved organic carbon at the catchment scale, Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 24, 945–966, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-945-2020, 2020.
White, A. F. and Brantley, S. L.: The effect of time on the weathering of
silicate minerals: why do weathering rates differ in the laboratory and
field?, Chem. Geol., 202, 479–506, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemgeo.2003.03.001, 2003.
Winnick, M. J. and Maher, K.: Relationships between CO2, thermodynamic
limits on silicate weathering, and the strength of the silicate weathering
feedback, Earth Planet. Sc. Lett., 485, 111–120, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2018.01.005,
2018.
Wolery, T. J., Jackson, K. J., Bourcier, W. L., Bruton, C. J., Viani, B. E.,
Knauss, K. G., and Delany, J. M.: Current Status of the Eq3/6 Software
Package for Geochemical Modeling, Acs. Sym. Ser., 416, 104–116, 1990.
Wu, Z. T., Dijkstra, P., Koch, G. W., Penuelas, J., and Hungate, B. A.:
Responses of terrestrial ecosystems to temperature and precipitation change:
a meta-analysis of experimental manipulation, Glob. Change Biol., 17,
927–942, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2486.2010.02302.x, 2011.
Zhang, Y. H., Niu, J. Z., Yu, X. X., Zhu, W. L., and Du, X. Q.: Effects of
fine root length density and root biomass on soil preferential flow in
forest ecosystems, For. Syst., 24, e012, https://doi.org/10.5424/fs/2015241-06048, 2015.
Zhi, W., Li, L., Dong, W. M., Brown, W., Kaye, J., Steefel, C. I., and
Williams, K. H.: Distinct Source Water Chemistry Shapes Contrasting
Concentration – Discharge Patterns, Water Resour. Res., 55, 4233–4251,
https://doi.org/10.1029/2018wr024257, 2019.
Zhi, W. and Li, L.: The Shallow and Deep Hypothesis: Subsurface Vertical
Chemical Contrasts Shape Nitrate Export Patterns from Different Land Uses,
Environ. Sci. Technol., 54, 11915–11928, https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.0c01340, 2020.
Zhi, W., Williams, K. H., Carroll, R. W. H., Brown, W., Dong, W., Kerins, D. and Li, L.: Significant stream chemistry response to temperature variations in a high-elevation mountain watershed, Communications Earth and Environment, 1, 43, https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-020-00039-w, 2020.
Zhou, X. H., Talley, M., and Luo, Y. Q.: Biomass, Litter, and Soil
Respiration Along a Precipitation Gradient in Southern Great Plains, USA,
Ecosystems, 12, 1369–1380, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10021-009-9296-7, 2009.
Zhu, H., Zhang, L. M., and Garg, A.: Investigating plant
transpiration-induced soil suction affected by root morphology and root
depth, Comput. Geotech., 103, 26–31, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compgeo.2018.06.019,
2018.
Short summary
Carbonate weathering is essential in regulating carbon cycle at the century timescale. Plant roots accelerate weathering by elevating soil CO2 via respiration. It however remains poorly understood how and how much rooting characteristics modify flow paths and weathering. This work indicates that deepening roots in woodlands can enhance carbonate weathering by promoting recharge and CO2–carbonate contact in the deep, carbonate-abundant subsurface.
Carbonate weathering is essential in regulating carbon cycle at the century timescale. Plant...
Altmetrics
Final-revised paper
Preprint