Articles | Volume 20, issue 15
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-3151-2023
© Author(s) 2023. 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-20-3151-2023
© Author(s) 2023. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
01 Aug 2023
Research article |
| 01 Aug 2023
| 01 Aug 2023
How well does ramped thermal oxidation quantify the age distribution of soil carbon? Assessing thermal stability of physically and chemically fractionated soil organic matter
Biogeochemical Processes Department, Max Planck Institute for
Biogeochemistry, 07745 Jena, Germany
Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zürich,
8092 Zurich, Switzerland
Marion Schrumpf
Biogeochemical Processes Department, Max Planck Institute for
Biogeochemistry, 07745 Jena, Germany
Alison Hoyt
Earth System Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
Carlos A. Sierra
Biogeochemical Processes Department, Max Planck Institute for
Biogeochemistry, 07745 Jena, Germany
Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences,
Uppsala, 750 07, Sweden
Sebastian Doetterl
Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zürich,
8092 Zurich, Switzerland
Valier Galy
Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
Susan Trumbore
Biogeochemical Processes Department, Max Planck Institute for
Biogeochemistry, 07745 Jena, Germany
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Cited
17 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Machine learning prediction of soil carbon fractions using bulk-soil and fraction-specific MIR spectra: Is physical fractionation necessary? Y. Tang et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2026.107307
- Radiocarbon analysis reveals underestimation of soil organic carbon persistence in new-generation soil models A. Brunmayr et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-17-5961-2024
- Depth-dependent drivers of soil organic carbon thermal stability across Tibetan alpine grasslands Y. Li et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2025.109458
- Linking thermal analysis with size fractionation for low-cost quantification of soil organic carbon fractions C. Dǎmǎtîrcǎ et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2026.117854
- High-Resolution, Continuous Stable Carbon Isotope Analysis of Complex Organic Matter via Online Ramped Pyrolysis/Oxidation–Cavity Ring-Down Spectroscopy Y. Wang et al. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.analchem.6c00100
- Persistence and turnover of soil organic carbon in global drylands H. Wang et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-70623-9
- Towards online ramped oxidation (ORO)-AMS for thermal dissection and serial radiocarbon analysis of complex organic matter M. Bolandini et al. https://doi.org/10.1017/RDC.2025.6
- Drivers of soil organic carbon stocks and stability along elevation gradients N. Bonfanti et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2025.117452
- Combining temperature ramp dry combustion and mid-infrared spectroscopy for enhanced soil organic carbon characterisation L. Walden & R. Viscarra Rossel https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2025.117316
- Radiocarbon dating of lake sediment using low-temperature combustion D. Kaufman et al. https://doi.org/10.1017/RDC.2025.10167
- Relating mineral–organic matter stabilization mechanisms to carbon quality and age distributions using ramped thermal analysis S. Stoner et al. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsta.2023.0139
- Structure and Chemical Composition of Soil C-Rich Al–Si–Fe Coprecipitates at Nanometer Scale F. Jamoteau et al. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.3c06557
- Does the carbon pool vary among Ecuador's tropical dry forests and seasons? Experimental evidence from spatio-temporal assessments M. Macías-Pro et al. https://doi.org/10.1039/D5VA00018A
- Processing of samples by ramped oxidation at the NEIF Radiocarbon Laboratory, SUERC: Recent technical advances M. Garnett et al. https://doi.org/10.1017/RDC.2025.10155
- Old carbon, new insights: thermal reactivity and bioavailability of saltmarsh soils A. Houston et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-4851-2025
- Mineral, molecular composition and ecosystem type jointly determine the stability of soil organic carbon on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau J. Gu et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2024.108638
- Technical note: assessing pretreatment approaches for serial pyrolysis-oxidation analysis of sedimentary organic carbon S. He et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-6243-2025
17 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Machine learning prediction of soil carbon fractions using bulk-soil and fraction-specific MIR spectra: Is physical fractionation necessary? Y. Tang et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2026.107307
- Radiocarbon analysis reveals underestimation of soil organic carbon persistence in new-generation soil models A. Brunmayr et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-17-5961-2024
- Depth-dependent drivers of soil organic carbon thermal stability across Tibetan alpine grasslands Y. Li et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2025.109458
- Linking thermal analysis with size fractionation for low-cost quantification of soil organic carbon fractions C. Dǎmǎtîrcǎ et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2026.117854
- High-Resolution, Continuous Stable Carbon Isotope Analysis of Complex Organic Matter via Online Ramped Pyrolysis/Oxidation–Cavity Ring-Down Spectroscopy Y. Wang et al. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.analchem.6c00100
- Persistence and turnover of soil organic carbon in global drylands H. Wang et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-70623-9
- Towards online ramped oxidation (ORO)-AMS for thermal dissection and serial radiocarbon analysis of complex organic matter M. Bolandini et al. https://doi.org/10.1017/RDC.2025.6
- Drivers of soil organic carbon stocks and stability along elevation gradients N. Bonfanti et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2025.117452
- Combining temperature ramp dry combustion and mid-infrared spectroscopy for enhanced soil organic carbon characterisation L. Walden & R. Viscarra Rossel https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2025.117316
- Radiocarbon dating of lake sediment using low-temperature combustion D. Kaufman et al. https://doi.org/10.1017/RDC.2025.10167
- Relating mineral–organic matter stabilization mechanisms to carbon quality and age distributions using ramped thermal analysis S. Stoner et al. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsta.2023.0139
- Structure and Chemical Composition of Soil C-Rich Al–Si–Fe Coprecipitates at Nanometer Scale F. Jamoteau et al. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.3c06557
- Does the carbon pool vary among Ecuador's tropical dry forests and seasons? Experimental evidence from spatio-temporal assessments M. Macías-Pro et al. https://doi.org/10.1039/D5VA00018A
- Processing of samples by ramped oxidation at the NEIF Radiocarbon Laboratory, SUERC: Recent technical advances M. Garnett et al. https://doi.org/10.1017/RDC.2025.10155
- Old carbon, new insights: thermal reactivity and bioavailability of saltmarsh soils A. Houston et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-4851-2025
- Mineral, molecular composition and ecosystem type jointly determine the stability of soil organic carbon on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau J. Gu et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2024.108638
- Technical note: assessing pretreatment approaches for serial pyrolysis-oxidation analysis of sedimentary organic carbon S. He et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-6243-2025
Saved (final revised paper)
Latest update: 13 Jun 2026
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.
Soils store more carbon (C) than any other terrestrial C reservoir, but the processes that...
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