Publication Date:
2015-05-20
Description:
Labile, ‘high quality’, plant litters are hypothesized to promote soil organic matter (SOM) stabilization in mineral soil fractions that are physico-chemically protected from rapid mineralization. However, the effect of litter quality on SOM stabilization is inconsistent. High quality litters, characterized by high N concentrations, low C/N ratios and low phenol/lignin concentrations, are not consistently stabilized in SOM with greater efficiency than ‘low quality’ litters characterized by low N concentrations, high C/N ratios and high phenol/lignin concentrations. Here, we attempt to resolve these inconsistent results by developing a new conceptual model that links litter quality to the soil C saturation concept. Our model builds on the Microbial Efficiency-Matrix Stabilization framework (Cotrufo et al ., 2013) by suggesting the effect of litter quality on SOM stabilization is modulated by the extent of soil C saturation such that high quality litters are not always stabilized in SOM with greater efficiency than low quality litters. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Print ISSN:
1354-1013
Electronic ISSN:
1365-2486
Topics:
Biology
,
Energy, Environment Protection, Nuclear Power Engineering
,
Geography
