Sulfur-mediated transformation, export and mineral complexation of organic and inorganic C, N, P and Si in dryland soils

Abstract The transformation characteristics of mineral-associated soil components have profound impacts on their physical, biological, and chemical properties in drying-affected soils, whereas their mechanisms of sequestration and transformation remain elusive. To elucidate these phenomena, the soli...

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Main Authors: Xin Gao, Jie Zhang, Khan M. G. Mostofa, Wang Zheng, Cong-Qiang Liu, Nicola Senesi, Giorgio S. Senesi, Davide Vione, Jie Yuan, Yu Liu, Mohammad Mohinuzzaman, Longlong Li, Si-Liang Li
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Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-03-01
Series:Scientific Reports
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-94920-3
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author Xin Gao
Jie Zhang
Khan M. G. Mostofa
Wang Zheng
Cong-Qiang Liu
Nicola Senesi
Giorgio S. Senesi
Davide Vione
Jie Yuan
Yu Liu
Mohammad Mohinuzzaman
Longlong Li
Si-Liang Li
author_facet Xin Gao
Jie Zhang
Khan M. G. Mostofa
Wang Zheng
Cong-Qiang Liu
Nicola Senesi
Giorgio S. Senesi
Davide Vione
Jie Yuan
Yu Liu
Mohammad Mohinuzzaman
Longlong Li
Si-Liang Li
author_sort Xin Gao
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The transformation characteristics of mineral-associated soil components have profound impacts on their physical, biological, and chemical properties in drying-affected soils, whereas their mechanisms of sequestration and transformation remain elusive. To elucidate these phenomena, the solid-phase, water extracts (labile state, LS) and alkali-extracts (complexed state, CS) of four drying-affected soil types were examined. On average, the contents of soil organic carbon (SOC), soil total nitrogen (STN), and soil total hydrogen (STH) decreased in the order: forest > grassland > agriculture > desert. The extracted dissolved organic matter (DOM)LS, DOMCS and nutrients varied greatly among soil types, which indicated the occurrence of mineralization, sequestration, neoformation, and either export or emission. In particular, the relatively high levels of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC)LS and relatively low levels of DICCS in agricultural soils could be ascribed to the impact of human activities, i.e., tilling and cultivation, on mineral-bound DIC, leading to its export in LS forms. The stable isotopes of δ13C-SOC and their significant relationships with DICLS and SO4 2‒ LS+CS suggest the occurrence of carbon and sulfur sequestration through the uptake of CO2, DIC, or carbonyl sulfide (COS) following their generation from SOC or DOM mineralization. In forested and agricultural soils, the humic substances (HS) components in LS forms were subjected to a substantial degradation, whereas HSCS components remained mostly unaffected, implying their occurrence in organo-mineral protection. Overall, low soil total sulfur (STS) and sulfate (SO4 2‒)LS+CS contents were correlated with high amounts of soil components in both the solid and liquid phases, and vice versa. These findings suggest that microbial SO4 2‒ might operate in the dissolution and mineralization of HS-bound organo-minerals, which would potentially generate soil inorganic carbon (SIC) or DIC, leading to either their subsequent sequestration as carbonate minerals or their exports and emissions as DIC and CO2.
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spelling doaj-art-594da177a79c4d7baaf2ff620c03b3bf2025-08-20T03:41:49ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-03-0115112110.1038/s41598-025-94920-3Sulfur-mediated transformation, export and mineral complexation of organic and inorganic C, N, P and Si in dryland soilsXin Gao0Jie Zhang1Khan M. G. Mostofa2Wang Zheng3Cong-Qiang Liu4Nicola Senesi5Giorgio S. Senesi6Davide Vione7Jie Yuan8Yu Liu9Mohammad Mohinuzzaman10Longlong Li11Si-Liang Li12Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering (Ministry of Education, China), School of Environmental Science and Technology, Dalian University of TechnologySchool of Earth System Science, Tianjin UniversitySchool of Earth System Science, Tianjin UniversitySchool of Earth System Science, Tianjin UniversitySchool of Earth System Science, Tianjin UniversityDip.to di Scienze del Suolo, della Pianta e degli Alimenti, Università degli Studi di Bari “Aldo Moro”CNR - Istituto per la Scienza e Tecnologia dei Plasmi (ISTP) - Sede di BariDipartimento di Chimica, Università degli Studi di TorinoCollege of Resources and Environment, Xingtai UniversitySchool of Earth System Science, Tianjin UniversitySchool of Earth System Science, Tianjin UniversitySchool of Earth System Science, Tianjin UniversitySchool of Earth System Science, Tianjin UniversityAbstract The transformation characteristics of mineral-associated soil components have profound impacts on their physical, biological, and chemical properties in drying-affected soils, whereas their mechanisms of sequestration and transformation remain elusive. To elucidate these phenomena, the solid-phase, water extracts (labile state, LS) and alkali-extracts (complexed state, CS) of four drying-affected soil types were examined. On average, the contents of soil organic carbon (SOC), soil total nitrogen (STN), and soil total hydrogen (STH) decreased in the order: forest > grassland > agriculture > desert. The extracted dissolved organic matter (DOM)LS, DOMCS and nutrients varied greatly among soil types, which indicated the occurrence of mineralization, sequestration, neoformation, and either export or emission. In particular, the relatively high levels of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC)LS and relatively low levels of DICCS in agricultural soils could be ascribed to the impact of human activities, i.e., tilling and cultivation, on mineral-bound DIC, leading to its export in LS forms. The stable isotopes of δ13C-SOC and their significant relationships with DICLS and SO4 2‒ LS+CS suggest the occurrence of carbon and sulfur sequestration through the uptake of CO2, DIC, or carbonyl sulfide (COS) following their generation from SOC or DOM mineralization. In forested and agricultural soils, the humic substances (HS) components in LS forms were subjected to a substantial degradation, whereas HSCS components remained mostly unaffected, implying their occurrence in organo-mineral protection. Overall, low soil total sulfur (STS) and sulfate (SO4 2‒)LS+CS contents were correlated with high amounts of soil components in both the solid and liquid phases, and vice versa. These findings suggest that microbial SO4 2‒ might operate in the dissolution and mineralization of HS-bound organo-minerals, which would potentially generate soil inorganic carbon (SIC) or DIC, leading to either their subsequent sequestration as carbonate minerals or their exports and emissions as DIC and CO2.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-94920-3Drying-affected soilsSoil biogenic componentsHumic substancesδ13C-SOCSulfate reductionNutrients
spellingShingle Xin Gao
Jie Zhang
Khan M. G. Mostofa
Wang Zheng
Cong-Qiang Liu
Nicola Senesi
Giorgio S. Senesi
Davide Vione
Jie Yuan
Yu Liu
Mohammad Mohinuzzaman
Longlong Li
Si-Liang Li
Sulfur-mediated transformation, export and mineral complexation of organic and inorganic C, N, P and Si in dryland soils
Scientific Reports
Drying-affected soils
Soil biogenic components
Humic substances
δ13C-SOC
Sulfate reduction
Nutrients
title Sulfur-mediated transformation, export and mineral complexation of organic and inorganic C, N, P and Si in dryland soils
title_full Sulfur-mediated transformation, export and mineral complexation of organic and inorganic C, N, P and Si in dryland soils
title_fullStr Sulfur-mediated transformation, export and mineral complexation of organic and inorganic C, N, P and Si in dryland soils
title_full_unstemmed Sulfur-mediated transformation, export and mineral complexation of organic and inorganic C, N, P and Si in dryland soils
title_short Sulfur-mediated transformation, export and mineral complexation of organic and inorganic C, N, P and Si in dryland soils
title_sort sulfur mediated transformation export and mineral complexation of organic and inorganic c n p and si in dryland soils
topic Drying-affected soils
Soil biogenic components
Humic substances
δ13C-SOC
Sulfate reduction
Nutrients
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-94920-3
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