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Abstract

Soil respiration almost balances carbon fixation by terrestrial photosynthesis and exceeds all anthropogenic carbon emissions by an order of magnitude, yet we lack precise knowledge of the sources of, and controls upon, the release of carbon dioxide from soils. Here, we discuss the increasing evidence that half of this carbon release is from living plant roots, their mycorrhizal fungi and other root-associated microbes, and that this release is driven directly by recent photosynthesis. The new studies challenge the widespread view that soil activity is dominated by decomposer organisms using older detrital material and that root litter inputs equal those of aboveground litter. The new observations emphasize the physiological continuity and dynamic interdependence of the plant-microbe-soil system and highlight the need for closer cooperation between plant and soil scientists

Published in

Trends in ecology & evolution
2006, volume: 21, number: 10, pages: 548-554
Publisher: ELSEVIER SCIENCE LONDON

SLU Authors

  • Högberg, Peter

    • Department of Forest Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

UKÄ Subject classification

Environmental Sciences and Nature Conservation

Publication identifier

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tree.2006.06.004

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/8942