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Soil warming and organic carbon content

Author

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  • Eric A. Davidson

    (Woods Hole Research Center)

  • Susan E. Trumbore

    (Department of Earth System Science University of California)

  • Ronald Amundson

    (University of California)

Abstract

Soils store two or three times more carbon than exists in the atmosphere as CO2, and it is thought that the temperature sensitivity of decomposing organic matter in soil partly determines how much carbon will be transferred to the atmosphere as a result of global warming1. Giardina and Ryan2 have questioned whether turnover times of soil carbon depend on temperature, however, on the basis of experiments involving isotope analysis and laboratory incubation of soils. We believe that their conclusions are undermined by methodological factors and also by their turnover times being estimated on the assumption that soil carbon exists as a single homogeneous pool, which can mask the dynamics of a smaller, temperature-dependent soil-carbon fraction. The real issue about release of carbon from soils to the atmosphere, however, is how temperature, soil water content and other factors interact to influence decomposition of soil organic matter. And, contrary to one interpretation3 of Giardina and Ryan's results, we believe that positive feedback to global warming is still a concern.

Suggested Citation

  • Eric A. Davidson & Susan E. Trumbore & Ronald Amundson, 2000. "Soil warming and organic carbon content," Nature, Nature, vol. 408(6814), pages 789-790, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:408:y:2000:i:6814:d:10.1038_35048672
    DOI: 10.1038/35048672
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Jaehyun Lee & Youmi Oh & Sang Tae Lee & Yeon Ok Seo & Jeongeun Yun & Yerang Yang & Jinhyun Kim & Qianlai Zhuang & Hojeong Kang, 2023. "Soil organic carbon is a key determinant of CH4 sink in global forest soils," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-8, December.
    2. Du Changwen & Zhou Jianmin & Keith W Goyne, 2012. "Organic and Inorganic Carbon in Paddy Soil as Evaluated by Mid-Infrared Photoacoustic Spectroscopy," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 7(8), pages 1-6, August.
    3. Yuanyuan Wang & Zhenghua Hu & A. R. M. Towfiqul Islam & Shutao Chen & Dongyao Shang & Ying Xue, 2019. "Effect of Warming and Elevated O 3 Concentration on CO 2 Emissions in a Wheat-Soybean Rotation Cropland," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(10), pages 1-19, May.
    4. Zhenjie Dong & Lin Hou & Qi Ruan, 2023. "Effect of Elevation Gradient on Carbon Pools in a Juniperus przewalskii Kom. Forest in Qinghai, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-13, April.
    5. Edi Husen & Selly Salma & Fahmuddin Agus, 2014. "Peat emission control by groundwater management and soil amendments: evidence from laboratory experiments," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 19(6), pages 821-829, August.
    6. M. K. Gupta & S. D. Sharma, 2014. "Sequestered Organic Carbon Stock in the Soils under Different Land Uses in Uttarakhand State of India," Journal of Life Sciences Research, Asian Online Journal Publishing Group, vol. 1(1), pages 5-9.
    7. Pablo Luis Peri & Yamina Micaela Rosas & Brenton Ladd & Santiago Toledo & Romina Gisele Lasagno & Guillermo Martínez Pastur, 2018. "Modelling Soil Carbon Content in South Patagonia and Evaluating Changes According to Climate, Vegetation, Desertification and Grazing," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(2), pages 1-14, February.

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