The role of soil microbes in the global carbon cycle: tracking the below‐ground microbial processing of plant‐derived carbon for manipulating carbon dynamics in agricultural systems

It is well known that atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO2) (and other greenhouse gases) have increased markedly as a result of human activity since the industrial revolution. It is perhaps less appreciated that natural and managed soils are an important source and sink for atmospheric CO2 and that, primarily as a result of the activities of soil microorganisms, there is a soil-derived respiratory flux of CO2 to the atmosphere that overshadows by tenfold the annual CO2 flux from fossil fuel emissions. Therefore small changes in the soil carbon cycle could have large impacts on atmospheric CO2 concentrations. Here we discuss the role of soil microbes in the global carbon cycle and review the main…

• DF
  Directorate for Biological Sciences
• BA
  Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council

  Awards: BB/F000251/1, BB/F000251/1