Articles | Volume 11, issue 2
https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-11-883-2025
https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-11-883-2025
Original research article
 | 
22 Oct 2025
Original research article |  | 22 Oct 2025

Contribution of soil microbial necromass carbon to soil organic carbon fractions and its influencing factors in different grassland types

Shenggang Chen, Yaqi Zhang, Jun Ma, Mingyue Bai, Jinxiao Long, Ming Liu, Yinglong Chen, Jianbin Guo, and Lin Chen

Cited articles

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Angst, G., Mueller, K. E., Nierop, K. G. J., and Simpson, M. J.: Plant- or microbial-derived? A review on the molecular composition of stabilized soil organic matter, Soil Biology & Biochemistry, 156, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2021.108189, 2021. 
Bell, C. W., Acosta-Martinez, V., McIntyre, N. E., Cox, S., Tissue, D. T., and Zak, J. C.: Linking Microbial Community Structure and Function to Seasonal Differences in Soil Moisture and Temperature in a Chihuahuan Desert Grassland, Microbial Ecology, 58, 827–842, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00248-009-9529-5, 2009. 
Bölscher, T., Vogel, C., Olagoke, F. K., Meurer, K. H. E., Herrmann, A. M., Colombi, T., Brunn, M., and Domeignoz-Horta, L. A.: Beyond growth: The significance of non-growth anabolism for microbial carbon-use efficiency in the light of soil carbon stabilisation, Soil Biology & Biochemistry, 193, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2024.109400, 2024. 
Camenzind, T., Grenz, K. P., Lehmann, J., and Rillig, M. C.: Soil fungal mycelia have unexpectedly flexible stoichiometric C:N and C:P ratios, Ecology Letters, 24, 208–218, https://doi.org/10.1111/ele.13632, 2021. 
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Short summary
Fungal necromass carbon (FNC) contribution to mineral-associated organic carbon (MAOC) and particulate organic carbon (POC) was higher than bacterial necromass carbon (BNC). In 0–20 cm, FNC and BNC contributed more to MAOC, their contributions shifted toward POC in 20–100 cm. Microbial necromass carbon was affected by total nitrogen, mean annual rainfall, and electrical conductance in 0–20, while affected by available potassium, SOC, and mean annual temperature in 20–100.
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