Articles | Volume 6, issue 1
https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-6-115-2020
© Author(s) 2020. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-6-115-2020
© Author(s) 2020. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Original research article
| 
23 Mar 2020
Original research article |
| 23 Mar 2020
| 23 Mar 2020
Depletion of soil carbon and aggregation after strong warming of a subarctic Andosol under forest and grassland cover
Christopher Poeplau
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Thünen Institute of Climate-Smart Agriculture, Bundesallee 68,
38116 Braunschweig, Germany
Páll Sigurðsson
Agricultural University of Iceland, Hvanneyri 311, Borgarnes,
Iceland
Bjarni D. Sigurdsson
Agricultural University of Iceland, Hvanneyri 311, Borgarnes,
Iceland
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Cited
22 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Soil organic carbon fractions, stocks, and management index across diverse land uses in temperate India S. Khenrab et al. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2025.1688664
- Soil carbon loss in warmed subarctic grasslands is rapid and restricted to topsoil N. Verbrigghe et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-3381-2022
- Linking stable soil carbon and microbes using rapid fractionation and metagenomics assays – First results screening fungal inoculants under wheat crops W. Buss et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2025.109798
- Long‐term geothermal warming reduced stocks of carbon but not nitrogen in a subarctic forest soil T. Peplau et al. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.15754
- Rapid loss of organic carbon and soil structure in mountainous grassland topsoils induced by simulated climate change N. Garcia-Franco et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2024.116807
- Global patterns and drivers of soil microbial nitrogen and phosphorus use efficiency D. Gao et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-70602-0
- Temperature sensitivity of soil respiration declines with climate warming in subalpine and alpine grassland soils K. Abdalla et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10533-024-01179-3
- Low-severity wildfire prevents catastrophic impacts on fungal communities and soil carbon stability in a fire-affected Douglas-fir ecosystem T. Philpott et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2025.117189
- Soil aggregate-mediated microbial responses to long-term warming X. Liu et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2020.108055
- Warming shifts the biomass distribution of soil microarthropod communities M. Thakur et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2022.108894
- Stable and Mobile (Water-Extractable) Forms of Organic Matter in High-Latitude Volcanic Soils Under Various Land Use Scenarios in Southeastern Iceland A. Kot et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture15121255
- Warming enhances soil carbon accumulation in boreal Sphagnum peatlands Y. Zhao et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-026-02982-x
- Soil quality and fertility in sustainable agriculture, with a contribution to the biological classification of agricultural soils A. Sofo et al. https://doi.org/10.1111/sum.12702
- Sources of soil organic carbon under Eucalyptus silvopastures and other land-use systems in Brazilian Oxisols F. Pinheiro et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geodrs.2024.e00907
- Embracing the dynamic nature of soil structure: A paradigm illuminating the role of life in critical zones of the Anthropocene P. Sullivan et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earscirev.2021.103873
- Vulnerability of carbon in subalpine soils in the face of warmer temperatures D. Püntener et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-12-599-2026
- Root-soil interactions a key driver of aggregate formation and stability: a trait-based and mechanistic review A. Hamza et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-026-08453-3
- Soil organic matter changes under experimental pedoclimatic modifications in mountain grasslands of the French Alps N. Khedim et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2022.116238
- Community adaptation to temperature explains abrupt soil bacterial community shift along a geothermal gradient on Iceland J. Weedon et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2022.108914
- Soil Organic Carbon May Decline Under Climate Change: A Case Study in Mexican Forests L. López-Teloxa & A. Monterroso-Rivas https://doi.org/10.3390/land13101711
- The effect of soil physical structure in soil carbon and nitrogen distribution under different land use types in typical forest grassland transition zone on Loess Plateau, China Y. Ma et al. https://doi.org/10.1111/sum.70061
- The carbon sequestration potentials of selected crops in the United States: a review C. Igwenagu et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s44274-026-00711-6
22 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Soil organic carbon fractions, stocks, and management index across diverse land uses in temperate India S. Khenrab et al. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2025.1688664
- Soil carbon loss in warmed subarctic grasslands is rapid and restricted to topsoil N. Verbrigghe et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-3381-2022
- Linking stable soil carbon and microbes using rapid fractionation and metagenomics assays – First results screening fungal inoculants under wheat crops W. Buss et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2025.109798
- Long‐term geothermal warming reduced stocks of carbon but not nitrogen in a subarctic forest soil T. Peplau et al. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.15754
- Rapid loss of organic carbon and soil structure in mountainous grassland topsoils induced by simulated climate change N. Garcia-Franco et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2024.116807
- Global patterns and drivers of soil microbial nitrogen and phosphorus use efficiency D. Gao et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-70602-0
- Temperature sensitivity of soil respiration declines with climate warming in subalpine and alpine grassland soils K. Abdalla et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10533-024-01179-3
- Low-severity wildfire prevents catastrophic impacts on fungal communities and soil carbon stability in a fire-affected Douglas-fir ecosystem T. Philpott et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2025.117189
- Soil aggregate-mediated microbial responses to long-term warming X. Liu et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2020.108055
- Warming shifts the biomass distribution of soil microarthropod communities M. Thakur et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2022.108894
- Stable and Mobile (Water-Extractable) Forms of Organic Matter in High-Latitude Volcanic Soils Under Various Land Use Scenarios in Southeastern Iceland A. Kot et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture15121255
- Warming enhances soil carbon accumulation in boreal Sphagnum peatlands Y. Zhao et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-026-02982-x
- Soil quality and fertility in sustainable agriculture, with a contribution to the biological classification of agricultural soils A. Sofo et al. https://doi.org/10.1111/sum.12702
- Sources of soil organic carbon under Eucalyptus silvopastures and other land-use systems in Brazilian Oxisols F. Pinheiro et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geodrs.2024.e00907
- Embracing the dynamic nature of soil structure: A paradigm illuminating the role of life in critical zones of the Anthropocene P. Sullivan et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earscirev.2021.103873
- Vulnerability of carbon in subalpine soils in the face of warmer temperatures D. Püntener et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-12-599-2026
- Root-soil interactions a key driver of aggregate formation and stability: a trait-based and mechanistic review A. Hamza et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-026-08453-3
- Soil organic matter changes under experimental pedoclimatic modifications in mountain grasslands of the French Alps N. Khedim et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2022.116238
- Community adaptation to temperature explains abrupt soil bacterial community shift along a geothermal gradient on Iceland J. Weedon et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2022.108914
- Soil Organic Carbon May Decline Under Climate Change: A Case Study in Mexican Forests L. López-Teloxa & A. Monterroso-Rivas https://doi.org/10.3390/land13101711
- The effect of soil physical structure in soil carbon and nitrogen distribution under different land use types in typical forest grassland transition zone on Loess Plateau, China Y. Ma et al. https://doi.org/10.1111/sum.70061
- The carbon sequestration potentials of selected crops in the United States: a review C. Igwenagu et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s44274-026-00711-6
Saved (final revised paper)
Latest update: 03 Jun 2026
Short summary
Global warming leads to increased mineralisation of soil organic matter, inducing a positive climate–carbon cycle feedback loop. Loss of organic matter can be associated with loss of soil structure. Here we use a strong geothermal gradient to investigate soil warming effects on soil organic matter and structural parameters in subarctic forest and grassland soils. Strong depletion of organic matter caused a collapse of aggregates, highlighting the potential impact of warming on soil function.
Global warming leads to increased mineralisation of soil organic matter, inducing a positive...
