Similar Microbial Carbon Limitation with Soil Depth despite Decreasing Carbon Availability.

ABSTRACT: Carbon availability regulates the rate of microbial soil organic matter decay and respiration. However, it remains unclear how much carbon is available to microbes, and if soil organic carbon content influences microbial carbon limitation. Here, the Michaelis-Menten parameters (V_max and k_m) were employed to estimate available carbon and the degree of carbon limitation along soil depth profiles (0-60 cm) at two study sites with varying soil organic carbon content. Available carbon as well as soil organic carbon decreased along soil depth profiles at both sites. Yet, the relative proportion of available carbon to the soil organic carbon did not change across soil depth intervals and sites. Overall, 0.11% (w/w) of soil organic carbon was available to microb

SUBMITTER: Kim S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12549229 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature