Important constraints on soil organic carbon formation efficiency in subtropical and tropical grasslands

More than 10% of Australia's 49 M ha of grassland is considered degraded, prompting widespread interest in the management of these ecosystems to increase soil carbon (C) sequestration-with an emphasis on long-lived C storage. We know that management practices that increase plant biomass also increase C inputs to the soil, but we lack a quantitative understanding of the fate of soil C inputs into different soil organic carbon (SOC) fractions that have fundamentally different formation pathways and persistence in the soil. Our understanding of the factors that constrain SOC formation in these fractions is also limited, particularly within tropical climates. We used isotopically labelled residue (C-13) to determine the fate of residue C inputs into short-lived particulate organic matter (POM) and more persistent mineral-associated organic matter (MAOM) across a broad climatic gradient (Delta MAT 10 degrees C) with varying soil properties. Climate was the primary driver of aboveground residue mass loss which corresponded to higher residue-derived POM formation. In contrast, MAOM formation efficiency was constrained by soil properties. The differential controls on POM and MAOM formation highlight that a targeted approach to grassland restoration is required; we must identify priority regions for improved grazing management in soils that have a relatively high silt+clay content and cation exchange capacity, with a low C saturation in the silt+clay fraction to deliver long-term SOC sequestration.

Automated summary

Over 10% of Australia's grasslands are considered degraded, leading to interest in managing these ecosystems to increase soil carbon sequestration. Climate is a key factor affecting residue mass loss and the formation of particulate organic matter and mineral-associated organic matter, highlighting the need for targeted grassland restoration methods.