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Abstract

We measured the (14)C and (13)C signatures of CO(2) respired from surface and deep soils released through multiple dry/rewetting cycles in laboratory incubations. The C respired from surface soils included components fixed before and after the 1960s. However, that respired from deep soils was derived from organic matter with a mean turnover time estimated in the range of 650-850 years. This reinforces previous research suggesting that a substantial amount of deep soil C is chemically labile but physically inaccessible to microorganisms, but also suggests that substantial amounts of that C may not be so strongly bound to minerals as to be effectively inert, raising the question of why it hasn't already been metabolized. It also demonstrates the contribution of C fixed before the 1960s to CO(2) metabolized in the surface soils at this site. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Keywords

soil carbon; deep soil; physical protection; radiocarbon; priming

Published in

Soil Biology and Biochemistry
2011, volume: 43, number: 5, pages: 1101-1103
Publisher: PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD

SLU Authors

UKÄ Subject classification

Environmental Sciences and Nature Conservation

Publication identifier

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2011.01.008

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/59207