Background Soil organic matter (SOM) supports multiple soil ecosystem functions,
underpinned by processes such as C sequestration, N mineralization, aggregation …

To study the structure and function of soil organic matter, soil scientists have performed
alkali extractions for soil humic acid (HA) and fulvic acid (FA) fractions for more than 200 …

Studies of the decomposition, transformation and stabilization of soil organic matter (SOM)
have dramatically increased in recent years owing to growing interest in studying the global …

Soil organic matter (SOM) and the carbon and nutrients therein drive fundamental
submicron-to global-scale biogeochemical processes and influence carbon-climate …

Plant litter decomposition in the soil is governed by microorganisms such as bacteria and
fungi that colonize lignocellulose residues during the decomposition process, and thus, the …

Managing above-ground plant carbon inputs can pave the way toward carbon neutrality and
mitigating climate change. Chemical complexity of plant residues largely controls carbon …

Biodiversity loss, an important consequence of agricultural intensification, can lead to
reductions in agroecosystem functions and services. Increasing crop diversity through …

Our increasing dependence on a small number of agricultural crops, such as corn, is leading
to reductions in agricultural biodiversity. Reductions in the number of crops in rotation or the …

Through litter decomposition enormous amounts of carbon is emitted to the atmosphere.
Numerous large-scale decomposition experiments have been conducted focusing on this …

Climate and litter quality have been identified as major drivers of litter decomposition at
large spatial scales. However, the role played by soil fauna remains largely unknown …