Articles | Volume 7, issue 2
https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-7-347-2021
© Author(s) 2021. 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-7-347-2021
© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Geogenic organic carbon in terrestrial sediments and its contribution to total soil carbon
Fabian Kalks
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Thünen Institute of Climate-Smart Agriculture, Bundesallee 65,
38116 Braunschweig, Germany
Gabriel Noren
Institute of Geology and Mineralogy, University of Cologne,
Institute of Geology and Mineralogy, Zülpicher Str. 49b, 50674 Cologne, Germany
Carsten W. Mueller
Chair of Soil Science, School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Emil-Ramann-Strasse 2, 85354 Freising-Weihenstephan, Germany
Department of Geosciences and Natural
Resource Management, University of Copenhagen, Øster Voldgade 10, 1350 Copenhagen K, Denmark
Mirjam Helfrich
Thünen Institute of Climate-Smart Agriculture, Bundesallee 65,
38116 Braunschweig, Germany
Janet Rethemeyer
Institute of Geology and Mineralogy, University of Cologne,
Institute of Geology and Mineralogy, Zülpicher Str. 49b, 50674 Cologne, Germany
Thünen Institute of Climate-Smart Agriculture, Bundesallee 65,
38116 Braunschweig, Germany
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Cited
13 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Characterizing Natural Organic Matter Transformations by Microbial Communities in Terrestrial Subsurface Ecosystems: A Critical Review of Analytical Techniques and Challenges K. Cabugao et al. 10.3389/fmicb.2022.864895
- Millennial-aged pyrogenic carbon in high-latitude mineral soils M. Schiedung et al. 10.1038/s43247-024-01343-5
- The six rights of how and when to test for soil C saturation J. Six et al. 10.5194/soil-10-275-2024
- Soil depth gradients of organic carbon-13 – A review on drivers and processes N. Krüger et al. 10.1007/s11104-023-06328-5
- Combining thermal analyses and wet-chemical extractions to assess the stability of mixed-nature soil organic matter F. Ruiz et al. 10.1016/j.soilbio.2023.109216
- Revisiting the soil carbon saturation concept to inform a risk index in European agricultural soils T. Breure et al. 10.1038/s41467-025-57355-y
- The role of geochemistry in organic carbon stabilization against microbial decomposition in tropical rainforest soils M. Reichenbach et al. 10.5194/soil-7-453-2021
- Probing the exchange of CO2 and O2 in the shallow critical zone during weathering of marl and black shale T. Roylands et al. 10.5194/esurf-12-271-2024
- Soil Carbon Dynamics Reshaped by Ancient Carbon Quantification Y. Copard et al. 10.1111/gcb.70482
- Old but not ancient: Rock-leached organic carbon drives groundwater microbiomes B. Heinze et al. 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.178212
- Evidence of high carbon biodegradability in the subsoil of Mediterranean croplands W. Khairallah et al. 10.1016/j.geoderma.2025.117212
- Heterotrophic soil respiration and carbon cycling in geochemically distinct African tropical forest soils B. Bukombe et al. 10.5194/soil-7-639-2021
- Measures of prehistoric terrestrial net ecosystem productivity and carbon sink function C. Mays et al. 10.1016/j.earscirev.2025.105222
13 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Characterizing Natural Organic Matter Transformations by Microbial Communities in Terrestrial Subsurface Ecosystems: A Critical Review of Analytical Techniques and Challenges K. Cabugao et al. 10.3389/fmicb.2022.864895
- Millennial-aged pyrogenic carbon in high-latitude mineral soils M. Schiedung et al. 10.1038/s43247-024-01343-5
- The six rights of how and when to test for soil C saturation J. Six et al. 10.5194/soil-10-275-2024
- Soil depth gradients of organic carbon-13 – A review on drivers and processes N. Krüger et al. 10.1007/s11104-023-06328-5
- Combining thermal analyses and wet-chemical extractions to assess the stability of mixed-nature soil organic matter F. Ruiz et al. 10.1016/j.soilbio.2023.109216
- Revisiting the soil carbon saturation concept to inform a risk index in European agricultural soils T. Breure et al. 10.1038/s41467-025-57355-y
- The role of geochemistry in organic carbon stabilization against microbial decomposition in tropical rainforest soils M. Reichenbach et al. 10.5194/soil-7-453-2021
- Probing the exchange of CO2 and O2 in the shallow critical zone during weathering of marl and black shale T. Roylands et al. 10.5194/esurf-12-271-2024
- Soil Carbon Dynamics Reshaped by Ancient Carbon Quantification Y. Copard et al. 10.1111/gcb.70482
- Old but not ancient: Rock-leached organic carbon drives groundwater microbiomes B. Heinze et al. 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.178212
- Evidence of high carbon biodegradability in the subsoil of Mediterranean croplands W. Khairallah et al. 10.1016/j.geoderma.2025.117212
- Heterotrophic soil respiration and carbon cycling in geochemically distinct African tropical forest soils B. Bukombe et al. 10.5194/soil-7-639-2021
- Measures of prehistoric terrestrial net ecosystem productivity and carbon sink function C. Mays et al. 10.1016/j.earscirev.2025.105222
Latest update: 16 Sep 2025
Short summary
Sedimentary rocks contain organic carbon that may end up as soil carbon. However, this source of soil carbon is overlooked and has not been quantified sufficiently. We analysed 10 m long sediment cores with three different sedimentary rocks. All sediments contain considerable amounts of geogenic carbon contributing 3 %–12 % to the total soil carbon below 30 cm depth. The low 14C content of geogenic carbon can result in underestimations of soil carbon turnover derived from 14C data.
Sedimentary rocks contain organic carbon that may end up as soil carbon. However, this source of...