Soil Carbon Dynamics Reshaped by Ancient Carbon Quantification.

ABSTRACT: Soil is a major terrestrial carbon reservoir, and enhancing its carbon stock is a central strategy to mitigate climate change. Earth system models project a net soil carbon sink by 2100, the magnitude of which is still under debate, differing significantly between approaches. Radiocarbon-based studies often suggest a limited soil carbon accumulation capacity, but these estimates are biased by the presence of ancient, radiocarbon-free, organic carbon (aOC). This carbon no longer contributes to soil carbon dynamics and increases the average ¹⁴C age of soil carbon because it is radiocarbon-depleted. This known radiocarbon caveat can be overcome with a better understanding of the aOC (ancient radiocarbon-free OC) distribution in the world's soils. Here we apply a mixing linear equat

SUBMITTER: Copard Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12405676 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature