Integrating Plant Litter Quality, Soil Organic Matter Stabilization and the Carbon Saturation Concept (original) (raw)

2015, Global Change Biology

Labile, 'high quality', plant litters are hypothesized to promote soil organic matter (SOM) 13 stabilization in mineral soil fractions that are physico-chemically protected from rapid 14 mineralization. However, the effect of litter quality on SOM stabilization is inconsistent. High 15 quality litters, characterized by high N concentrations, low C/N ratios and low phenol/lignin 16 concentrations, are not consistently stabilized in SOM with greater efficiency than 'low quality' 17 litters characterized by low N concentrations, high C/N ratios and high phenol/lignin 18 concentrations. Here, we attempt to resolve these inconsistent results by developing a new 19 conceptual model that links litter quality to the soil C saturation concept. Our model builds on 20 the Microbial Efficiency-Matrix Stabilization framework (Cotrufo et al., 2013) by suggesting the 21 effect of litter quality on SOM stabilization is modulated by the extent of soil C saturation such 22 that high quality litters are not always stabilized in SOM with greater efficiency than low quality 23 litters. 24 laboratory-incubated soil with differing simulated tillage frequencies. Soil & Tillage

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