The colloidal fraction of dissolved organic matter extracted from a forest soil persists microbial decomposition
Andersson, Erika LU ; Groeneveld, Marloes ; Tranvik, Lars ; Tunlid, Anders LU ; Persson, Per LU and Olsson, Ulf LU
(2025)
In Biogeochemistry
168(3).
- Abstract
We have investigated the bacterial decomposition of dissolved organic matter (DOM) extracted from the organic layer of a boreal forest soil and filtered at a pore size of 0.2 µm. This DOM source has previously been extensively characterized and contains approximately equal amounts by carbon of a colloidal fraction, mainly composed of carbohydrates, and a fraction of molecularly dissolved DOM. Here, extracts were inoculated with soil bacteria and the decomposition of DOM was followed over a period of 2 months, during which it was analyzed with scattering methods and 1H NMR, and by measuring the concentration of total organic carbon. A comparison was also made with dialyzed extract. Results showed that while the bacteria fully... (More)
We have investigated the bacterial decomposition of dissolved organic matter (DOM) extracted from the organic layer of a boreal forest soil and filtered at a pore size of 0.2 µm. This DOM source has previously been extensively characterized and contains approximately equal amounts by carbon of a colloidal fraction, mainly composed of carbohydrates, and a fraction of molecularly dissolved DOM. Here, extracts were inoculated with soil bacteria and the decomposition of DOM was followed over a period of 2 months, during which it was analyzed with scattering methods and 1H NMR, and by measuring the concentration of total organic carbon. A comparison was also made with dialyzed extract. Results showed that while the bacteria fully decomposed the molecular fraction within approximately two weeks, the colloidal fraction was stable with no visible decomposition within the 2 months. The results indicate the importance of distinguishing small molecules from colloidal aggregates in decomposition studies, and demonstrate the usefulness of combining scattering methods with 1H NMR for this purpose.
(Less)
- author
- Andersson, Erika
LU
; Groeneveld, Marloes
; Tranvik, Lars
; Tunlid, Anders
LU
; Persson, Per
LU
and Olsson, Ulf
LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2025-06
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- H NMR, Decomposition, Dissolved organic matter, Organic colloids, Small angle scattering, Soil
- in
- Biogeochemistry
- volume
- 168
- issue
- 3
- article number
- 50
- publisher
- Springer
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:105005397335
- ISSN
- 0168-2563
- DOI
- 10.1007/s10533-025-01240-9
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- efc33cd8-b877-41ef-9168-dded8afb9d73
- date added to LUP
- 2025-07-31 10:35:28
- date last changed
- 2025-07-31 10:36:30
@article{efc33cd8-b877-41ef-9168-dded8afb9d73,
abstract = {{<p>We have investigated the bacterial decomposition of dissolved organic matter (DOM) extracted from the organic layer of a boreal forest soil and filtered at a pore size of 0.2 µm. This DOM source has previously been extensively characterized and contains approximately equal amounts by carbon of a colloidal fraction, mainly composed of carbohydrates, and a fraction of molecularly dissolved DOM. Here, extracts were inoculated with soil bacteria and the decomposition of DOM was followed over a period of 2 months, during which it was analyzed with scattering methods and <sup>1</sup>H NMR, and by measuring the concentration of total organic carbon. A comparison was also made with dialyzed extract. Results showed that while the bacteria fully decomposed the molecular fraction within approximately two weeks, the colloidal fraction was stable with no visible decomposition within the 2 months. The results indicate the importance of distinguishing small molecules from colloidal aggregates in decomposition studies, and demonstrate the usefulness of combining scattering methods with <sup>1</sup>H NMR for this purpose.</p>}},
author = {{Andersson, Erika and Groeneveld, Marloes and Tranvik, Lars and Tunlid, Anders and Persson, Per and Olsson, Ulf}},
issn = {{0168-2563}},
keywords = {{H NMR; Decomposition; Dissolved organic matter; Organic colloids; Small angle scattering; Soil}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{3}},
publisher = {{Springer}},
series = {{Biogeochemistry}},
title = {{The colloidal fraction of dissolved organic matter extracted from a forest soil persists microbial decomposition}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10533-025-01240-9}},
doi = {{10.1007/s10533-025-01240-9}},
volume = {{168}},
year = {{2025}},
}