Evidence for the existence and ecological relevance of fast-cycling mineral-associated organic matter
Abstract Longstanding theories and models classify mineral-associated organic matter as the large ( ~ 60%) but slow-cycling and persistent portion of soil organic matter. Strong physico-chemical interactions and diffusion limitations restrict the turnover of mineral-associated organic matter, allowi...
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Nature Portfolio
2025-08-01
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| Series: | Communications Earth & Environment |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-025-02681-8 |
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| author | Andrea Jilling A. Stuart Grandy Amanda B. Daly Rachel Hestrin Angela Possinger Rose Abramoff Madison Annis Anna M. Cates Katherine Dynarski Katerina Georgiou Katherine Heckman Marco Keiluweit Ashley K. Lang Richard P. Phillips Katherine Rocci Itamar A. Shabtai Noah W. Sokol Em D. Whalen |
| author_facet | Andrea Jilling A. Stuart Grandy Amanda B. Daly Rachel Hestrin Angela Possinger Rose Abramoff Madison Annis Anna M. Cates Katherine Dynarski Katerina Georgiou Katherine Heckman Marco Keiluweit Ashley K. Lang Richard P. Phillips Katherine Rocci Itamar A. Shabtai Noah W. Sokol Em D. Whalen |
| author_sort | Andrea Jilling |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Longstanding theories and models classify mineral-associated organic matter as the large ( ~ 60%) but slow-cycling and persistent portion of soil organic matter. Strong physico-chemical interactions and diffusion limitations restrict the turnover of mineral-associated organic matter, allowing carbon and nitrogen bound therein to persist in soil for as long as centuries to millennia. However, mineral-associated organic matter is a chemically and functionally diverse pool with a substantial portion cycling at relatively fast (i.e., minutes to years) timescales. Despite a growing body of evidence for the heterogenous and multi-pool nature of mineral-associated organic matter, we lack consensus on how to conceptualize and directly quantify fast-cycling mineral-associated organic matter and its ecological significance. We demonstrate that the dynamic qualities of fast-cycling mineral-associated organic matter vary based on 1) the chemistry of the mineral particles and organic matter, 2) the complex set of interactions between organic matter and the mineral matrix, and 3) the presence and strength of destabilizing forces that lead to decomposition or loss of mineral-associated organic matter (i.e., plant-microbe interactions, agricultural intensification, and climate change). Finally, we discuss potential implications and research opportunities for how we measure, manage, and model the dynamic subfraction of this otherwise persistent pool of soil organic matter. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-352f5cd087e5484d898d2a1d90f0aade |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2662-4435 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Communications Earth & Environment |
| spelling | doaj-art-352f5cd087e5484d898d2a1d90f0aade2025-08-24T11:52:28ZengNature PortfolioCommunications Earth & Environment2662-44352025-08-016111410.1038/s43247-025-02681-8Evidence for the existence and ecological relevance of fast-cycling mineral-associated organic matterAndrea Jilling0A. Stuart Grandy1Amanda B. Daly2Rachel Hestrin3Angela Possinger4Rose Abramoff5Madison Annis6Anna M. Cates7Katherine Dynarski8Katerina Georgiou9Katherine Heckman10Marco Keiluweit11Ashley K. Lang12Richard P. Phillips13Katherine Rocci14Itamar A. Shabtai15Noah W. Sokol16Em D. Whalen17Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of South CarolinaCenter of Soil Biogeochemistry and Microbial Ecology (Soil BioME), Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, University of New HampshireCenter of Soil Biogeochemistry and Microbial Ecology (Soil BioME), Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, University of New HampshireStockbridge School of Agriculture, University of Massachusetts AmherstSchool of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Virginia TechSchool of Forest Resources, University of MaineDepartment of Environmental Health Sciences, University of South CarolinaDepartment of Soil, Water, and Climate, University of MinnesotaUSDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service, Soil and Plant Science Division, National Soil Survey CenterDepartment of Biological & Ecological Engineering, Oregon State UniversityNorthern Research Station, USDA Forest ServiceInstitute of Earth Surface Dynamics, University of LausanneNorthern Research Station, USDA Forest ServiceDepartment of Biology, Indiana UniversityInstitute of Arctic and Alpine Research, University of ColoradoDepartment of Environmental Science and Forestry, Connecticut Agricultural Experiment StationPhysical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National LaboratoryCritical Ecology LabAbstract Longstanding theories and models classify mineral-associated organic matter as the large ( ~ 60%) but slow-cycling and persistent portion of soil organic matter. Strong physico-chemical interactions and diffusion limitations restrict the turnover of mineral-associated organic matter, allowing carbon and nitrogen bound therein to persist in soil for as long as centuries to millennia. However, mineral-associated organic matter is a chemically and functionally diverse pool with a substantial portion cycling at relatively fast (i.e., minutes to years) timescales. Despite a growing body of evidence for the heterogenous and multi-pool nature of mineral-associated organic matter, we lack consensus on how to conceptualize and directly quantify fast-cycling mineral-associated organic matter and its ecological significance. We demonstrate that the dynamic qualities of fast-cycling mineral-associated organic matter vary based on 1) the chemistry of the mineral particles and organic matter, 2) the complex set of interactions between organic matter and the mineral matrix, and 3) the presence and strength of destabilizing forces that lead to decomposition or loss of mineral-associated organic matter (i.e., plant-microbe interactions, agricultural intensification, and climate change). Finally, we discuss potential implications and research opportunities for how we measure, manage, and model the dynamic subfraction of this otherwise persistent pool of soil organic matter.https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-025-02681-8 |
| spellingShingle | Andrea Jilling A. Stuart Grandy Amanda B. Daly Rachel Hestrin Angela Possinger Rose Abramoff Madison Annis Anna M. Cates Katherine Dynarski Katerina Georgiou Katherine Heckman Marco Keiluweit Ashley K. Lang Richard P. Phillips Katherine Rocci Itamar A. Shabtai Noah W. Sokol Em D. Whalen Evidence for the existence and ecological relevance of fast-cycling mineral-associated organic matter Communications Earth & Environment |
| title | Evidence for the existence and ecological relevance of fast-cycling mineral-associated organic matter |
| title_full | Evidence for the existence and ecological relevance of fast-cycling mineral-associated organic matter |
| title_fullStr | Evidence for the existence and ecological relevance of fast-cycling mineral-associated organic matter |
| title_full_unstemmed | Evidence for the existence and ecological relevance of fast-cycling mineral-associated organic matter |
| title_short | Evidence for the existence and ecological relevance of fast-cycling mineral-associated organic matter |
| title_sort | evidence for the existence and ecological relevance of fast cycling mineral associated organic matter |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-025-02681-8 |
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