Fine silt and clay content is the main factor defining maximal C and N accumulations in soils: a meta-analysis.

ABSTRACT: When studying carbon (C) sequestration in soil, it is necessary to recognize the maximal storage potential and the main influencing factors, including the climate, land use, and soil properties. Here, we hypothesized that the silt and clay contents in soils as well as the clay mineralogy are the main factors affecting the maximal C and N storage levels of soils. This hypothesis was evaluated using a database containing the organic C contents of topsoils separated by ultrasonic dispersion to determine the particle size fractions. The slopes of the linear regressions between the C contents in silt and clay to the soil organic C (SOC) and between the N contents in silt and clay to the total N content were independent of the clay mineralogy (2:1, 1:1, calcareous soil, amorphous clays), climate

SUBMITTER: Matus FJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7979709 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature