Soils are studied with the aim to predict future climatic scenarios and find the best guidelines to manage terrestrial ecosystems for the mitigation of the atmospheric CO2 rising. Carbon constituting soil organic matter (SOM) behaves as a cohort of different pools, characterized by a specific C turnover time. Both natural and anthropogenic occurring 14C reach the soil through plant littering, becoming a valid tool to trace SOM dynamics. In this study we present a series of Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) 14C measurements on SOM samples obtained by means of different laboratory protocols used for the isolation of soil pools from bulk soil (fractionation protocols). Radiocarbon signature of SOM fractions is used as a keyhole to look at the more effective fractionation procedure and comparison among measured 14C on SOM fractions revealed important indications for the proposal of a novel fractionation protocol. Our data put in evidence how particle size controls the recalcitrance of ancient SOM carbon pools. © 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Comparison of different soil organic matter fractionation methodologies: Evidences from ultrasensitive 14C measurements
MARZAIOLI, Fabio;LUBRITTO, Carmine;D'ONOFRIO, Antonio;TERRASI, Filippo
2010
Abstract
Soils are studied with the aim to predict future climatic scenarios and find the best guidelines to manage terrestrial ecosystems for the mitigation of the atmospheric CO2 rising. Carbon constituting soil organic matter (SOM) behaves as a cohort of different pools, characterized by a specific C turnover time. Both natural and anthropogenic occurring 14C reach the soil through plant littering, becoming a valid tool to trace SOM dynamics. In this study we present a series of Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) 14C measurements on SOM samples obtained by means of different laboratory protocols used for the isolation of soil pools from bulk soil (fractionation protocols). Radiocarbon signature of SOM fractions is used as a keyhole to look at the more effective fractionation procedure and comparison among measured 14C on SOM fractions revealed important indications for the proposal of a novel fractionation protocol. Our data put in evidence how particle size controls the recalcitrance of ancient SOM carbon pools. © 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
