Deconstructing the microbial necromass continuum to inform soil carbon sequestration

Abstract Microbial necromass is a large, dynamic and persistent component of soil organic carbon, the dominant terrestrial carbon pool. Quantification of necromass carbon stocks and its susceptibility to global change is becoming standard practice in soil carbon research. However, the typical proxies used for necromass carbon do not reveal the dynamic nature of necromass carbon flows and transformations within soil that ultimately determine necromass persistence. In this review, we define and deconstruct four stages of the necromass continuum: production, recycling, stabilization and destabilization. Current understanding of necromass dynamics is described for each continuum stage. We highlight recent…

• SR
  Sight Research UK

  Awards: NE/S005137/2, NE/S005137/1, NE/R016429/1, NE/M017125/1
• UG
  U.S. Geological Survey
• NE
  Natural Environment Research Council

  Awards: NE/R016429/1, NE/S005137/2, NE/M017125/1, NE/R016429, NE/R016429/1, NE/S005137/1, R016429/1, NE/S005137/1
• RC
  Research Committee, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki