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Vulnerability of mineral-organic associations in the rhizosphere

Bölscher, Tobias LU orcid ; Cardon, Zoe G. ; Garcia Arredondo, Mariela ; Grand, Stéphanie ; Griffen, Gabriella ; Hestrin, Rachel ; Imboden, Josephine ; Jamoteau, Floriane ; Lacroix, Emily M. and Pérez Castro, Sherlynette , et al. (2025) In Nature Communications 16(1).
Abstract

The majority of soil carbon (C) is stored in organic matter associated with reactive minerals. These mineral-organic associations (MOAs) inhibit microbial and enzymatic access to organic matter, suggesting that organic C within MOAs is resistant to decomposition. However, plant roots and rhizosphere microbes are known to transform minerals through dissolution and exchange reactions, implying that MOAs in the rhizosphere can be dynamic. Here we identify key drivers, mechanisms, and controls of MOA disruption in the rhizosphere and present a new conceptual framework for the vulnerability of soil C within MOAs. We introduce a vulnerability spectrum that highlights how MOAs characteristic of certain ecosystems are particularly susceptible... (More)

The majority of soil carbon (C) is stored in organic matter associated with reactive minerals. These mineral-organic associations (MOAs) inhibit microbial and enzymatic access to organic matter, suggesting that organic C within MOAs is resistant to decomposition. However, plant roots and rhizosphere microbes are known to transform minerals through dissolution and exchange reactions, implying that MOAs in the rhizosphere can be dynamic. Here we identify key drivers, mechanisms, and controls of MOA disruption in the rhizosphere and present a new conceptual framework for the vulnerability of soil C within MOAs. We introduce a vulnerability spectrum that highlights how MOAs characteristic of certain ecosystems are particularly susceptible to specific root-driven disruption mechanisms. This vulnerability spectrum provides a framework for critically assessing the importance of MOA disruption mechanisms at the ecosystem scale. Comprehensive representation of not only root-driven MOA formation, but also disruption, will improve model projections of soil C-climate feedbacks and guide the development of more effective soil C management strategies.

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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Nature Communications
volume
16
issue
1
article number
5527
publisher
Nature Publishing Group
external identifiers
  • pmid:40593896
  • scopus:105010289944
ISSN
2041-1723
DOI
10.1038/s41467-025-61273-4
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s) 2025.
id
d69df2c8-34db-41ae-b3a0-e5e89d4d60d9
date added to LUP
2025-10-13 14:24:17
date last changed
2025-10-14 09:04:17
@article{d69df2c8-34db-41ae-b3a0-e5e89d4d60d9,
  abstract     = {{<p>The majority of soil carbon (C) is stored in organic matter associated with reactive minerals. These mineral-organic associations (MOAs) inhibit microbial and enzymatic access to organic matter, suggesting that organic C within MOAs is resistant to decomposition. However, plant roots and rhizosphere microbes are known to transform minerals through dissolution and exchange reactions, implying that MOAs in the rhizosphere can be dynamic. Here we identify key drivers, mechanisms, and controls of MOA disruption in the rhizosphere and present a new conceptual framework for the vulnerability of soil C within MOAs. We introduce a vulnerability spectrum that highlights how MOAs characteristic of certain ecosystems are particularly susceptible to specific root-driven disruption mechanisms. This vulnerability spectrum provides a framework for critically assessing the importance of MOA disruption mechanisms at the ecosystem scale. Comprehensive representation of not only root-driven MOA formation, but also disruption, will improve model projections of soil C-climate feedbacks and guide the development of more effective soil C management strategies.</p>}},
  author       = {{Bölscher, Tobias and Cardon, Zoe G. and Garcia Arredondo, Mariela and Grand, Stéphanie and Griffen, Gabriella and Hestrin, Rachel and Imboden, Josephine and Jamoteau, Floriane and Lacroix, Emily M. and Pérez Castro, Sherlynette and Persson, Per and Riley, William J. and Keiluweit, Marco}},
  issn         = {{2041-1723}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  publisher    = {{Nature Publishing Group}},
  series       = {{Nature Communications}},
  title        = {{Vulnerability of mineral-organic associations in the rhizosphere}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-61273-4}},
  doi          = {{10.1038/s41467-025-61273-4}},
  volume       = {{16}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}