In this concept paper, we propose a new view on soil organic matter (SOM) formation:
microorganisms use most of the organics entering the soil as energy rather than as a source …

The organic matter of living plants is the precursor material of the organic matter stored in
terrestrial soil ecosystems. Although a great deal of knowledge exists on the carbon turnover …

Soil organic matter is the largest terrestrial carbon pool. The pool size depends on the
balance between formation of soil organic matter from decomposition of plant litter and its …

Microbial biomass residues play a significant role in biogeochemical cycling but the
mechanism by which material from microbial sources is sequestered in soil organic matter …

This review covers historical perspectives, the role of plant inputs, and the nature and
dynamics of soil organic matter (SOM), often known as humus. Information on turnover of …

Soil organic matter comprises all dead plant and animal residues, from the most recent
inputs to the most intensively humified. We have found that traces of fresh substrates at μgg …

Low bioavailability of organic carbon (C) and energy are key constraints to microbial
biomass and activity. Microbial biomass, biodiversity and activity are all involved in …

Soil organic matter is extensively humified; some fractions existing for more than 1000 years.
The soil microbial biomass is surrounded by about 50 times its mass of soil organic matter …

Interactions among organisms are central to understanding any ecosystem, perhaps with the
exception of a short period when a newly created niche is colonized by its first inhabitants …

Organic matter is mainly present in the top 20–30 cm of most soil profiles and is essentially
an array of organic macromolecules consisting principally of combinations of carbon …