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Global depth distribution of soil carbon inputs inferred from belowground net primary production and root biomass profiles
  • +12
  • Liujun Xiao,
  • Guocheng Wang,
  • Jinfeng Chang,
  • Yaoyao Chen,
  • Xiali Mao,
  • Xiaowei Guo,
  • Zhou Shi,
  • Mingming Wang,
  • Shuai Zhang,
  • Yiqi Luo,
  • Lei Cheng,
  • Kailiang Yu,
  • Fei Mo,
  • Shengyao Jia,
  • Zhongkui Luo
Liujun Xiao
Zhejiang University - Zijingang Campus
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Guocheng Wang
Chinese Academy of Sciences
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Jinfeng Chang
Zhejiang University - Zijingang Campus
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Yaoyao Chen
Zhejiang University - Zijingang Campus
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Xiali Mao
Zhejiang University - Zijingang Campus
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Xiaowei Guo
Zhejiang University - Zijingang Campus
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Zhou Shi
Zhejiang University - Zijingang Campus
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Mingming Wang
Zhejiang University - Zijingang Campus
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Shuai Zhang
Zhejiang University - Zijingang Campus
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Yiqi Luo
Northern Arizona University
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Lei Cheng
Wuhan University
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Kailiang Yu
Princeton University
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Fei Mo
Northwest A&F University
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Shengyao Jia
Zhejiang University
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Zhongkui Luo
Zhejiang University - Zijingang Campus

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Abstract

The depth distribution of carbon inputs to soil has been unquantified globally, hindering our understanding of belowground carbon dynamics. We synthesize global observational data to infer the allocation of carbon inputs to soil depths down to 2 m, and map depth-specific carbon inputs globally at 1 km resolution. Global average carbon input to the 0–20 cm soil layer is 1.1 Mg C ha–1 yr–1, accounting for >50% of total soil carbon inputs. Across the globe, the depth distribution of carbon inputs shows large variability, and there are relatively more carbon inputs to deeper layers in hotter and drier regions. Edaphic, climatic and topographic properties (in the order of importance) explain >80% of such variability in soil depths; and the direction and magnitude of the influence of individual properties are soil depth- and biome-dependent. Our results provide global benchmarks for prediction of whole-soil carbon profiles across global biomes.