Earth Sciences

Drivers and trends of global soil microbial carbon over two decades

G. Patoine, N. Eisenhauer, et al.

This groundbreaking study reveals alarming declines in global soil microbial biomass carbon, with a loss equivalent to 149 Mt from 1992 to 2013, primarily driven by rising temperatures in northern regions. Authors Guillaume Patoine, Nico Eisenhauer, Simone Cesarz, Helen R. P. Phillips, Xiaofeng Xu, Lihua Zhang, and Carlos A. Guerra bring forth crucial insights into the dynamics of soil health and its implications for our environment.

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Abstract

This study assesses the temporal trends in soil microbial biomass carbon and identifies the main drivers of biomass change regionally and globally. A global soil microbial biomass carbon data set, random forest modelling, and environmental layers were combined to predict spatial-temporal dynamics from 1992 to 2013. Soil microbial biomass carbon stocks decreased globally by 3.4 ±3.0% (mean ± 95% CI), equivalent to 149 Mt being lost. Northern areas with high stocks experienced the strongest decrease, mostly driven by increasing temperatures. Land-cover change had weaker global effects but important regional ones.

Publisher

Nature Communications

Published On

Jul 20, 2022

Authors

Guillaume Patoine, Nico Eisenhauer, Simone Cesarz, Helen R. P. Phillips, Xiaofeng Xu, Lihua Zhang, Carlos A. Guerra

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