Articles | Volume 18, issue 6
https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-18-3697-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-18-3697-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Microbial necromass contribution to topsoil organic carbon storage of natural and agricultural ecosystems
Jing-Li Lu
Hainan Baoting Tropical Forest Ecosystem Observation and Research Station, School of Ecology, Hainan University, Haikou, 570228, People's Republic of China
Thomas W. Crowther
Institute of Integrative Biology, Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zürich, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
Manuel Delgado-Baquerizo
Laboratorio de Biodiversidad y Funcionamiento Ecosistémico, Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Sevilla (IRNAS), CSIC, Seville, 41013, Spain
Wenjie Liu
Hainan Baoting Tropical Forest Ecosystem Observation and Research Station, School of Ecology, Hainan University, Haikou, 570228, People's Republic of China
Yamin Jiang
Hainan Baoting Tropical Forest Ecosystem Observation and Research Station, School of Ecology, Hainan University, Haikou, 570228, People's Republic of China
Hongyang Sun
Sichuan Zoige Alpine Wetland Ecosystem National Field Observation and Research Station, College of Grassland Resources, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu, 610041, People's Republic of China
Sichuan Zoige Alpine Wetland Ecosystem National Field Observation and Research Station, College of Grassland Resources, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu, 610041, People's Republic of China
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Short summary
We used a global dataset to examine patterns and drivers of fungal necromass C (FNC), bacterial necromass C (BNC), and their ratio across agricultural and natural ecosystems. FNC contributed about twice as much as BNC to soil organic carbon (SOC) in both systems, with higher contributions overall in agricultural soils. Soil C/N and clay content mainly drove FNC and BNC contributions, while elevation primarily influenced the FNC/BNC ratio.
We used a global dataset to examine patterns and drivers of fungal necromass C (FNC), bacterial...
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