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Research article2019Peer reviewedOpen access

Microbial spatial footprint as a driver of soil carbon stabilization

Kraychenko, A. N.; Guber, A. K.; Razavi, B. S.; Koestel, J.; Quigley, M. Y.; Robertson, G. P.; Kuzyakov, Y.

Abstract

Increasing the potential of soil to store carbon (C) is an acknowledged and emphasized strategy for capturing atmospheric CO2. Well-recognized approaches for soil C accretion include reducing soil disturbance, increasing plant biomass inputs, and enhancing plant diversity. Yet experimental evidence often fails to support anticipated C gains, suggesting that our integrated understanding of soil C accretion remains insufficient. Here we use a unique combination of X-ray micro-tomography and micro-scale enzyme mapping to demonstrate for the first time that plant-stimulated soil pore formation appears to be a major, hitherto unrecognized, determinant of whether new C inputs are stored or lost to the atmosphere. Unlike monocultures, diverse plant communities favor the development of 30-150 mu m pores. Such pores are the micro-environments associated with higher enzyme activities, and greater abundance of such pores translates into a greater spatial footprint that microorganisms make on the soil and consequently soil C storage capacity.

Published in

Nature Communications
2019, Volume: 10, article number: 3121Publisher: NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP

    Sustainable Development Goals

    SDG15 Life on land

    UKÄ Subject classification

    Soil Science

    More information

    Correction in: Nature Communications, 2019, Volume: 10, Article Number 4103, DOI 10.1038/s41467-019-12000-3

    Publication identifier

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-11057-4

    Permanent link to this page (URI)

    https://res.slu.se/id/publ/101057