Event-driven dynamics of the total mobile inventory in undisturbed soil account for significant fluxes of particulate organic carbon

Abstract

Considerable portions of the total mobile inventory of soil seepage are the diverse colloidal and larger suspended materials that essentially contribute to pedogenesis, soil functioning, and nutritional supply of subsurface ecosystems. However, the size- and material-spectra of the total mobile inventory, and field-scale factors controlling its long-term seasonal and episodic dynamics in undisturbed soil, are scarcely investigated so far. In a 4.5-year field-scale study, we utilized automated tension-controlled lysimeters optimized for in situ-sampling of total mobile inventory. Covering different land uses in a low-mountain groundwater recharge area in central Germany, seepage of top- and subsoil was collected at least biweekly and analyzed by hydrochemical and spectromicroscopic techniques (SEM/EDX, nanoparticle tracking analysis). In undisturbed soil, diverse mineral-, mineral-organic, organic, and bioparticles (microbial cells, biotic detritus) up to 75 μm was mobile. Atmospheric forcing was the major factor that governed transport of the total mobile inventory, causing considerable seasonality in seepage pH and certain solutes (e.g. sulphate), as well as episodic fluctuation of particulates. Especially episodic high-flow events, like those following snow melts and lasting rainstorms, primarily contributed to the export of inorganic/organic matter beyond the subsoil-regolith boundary. Individual infiltration events during winter accounted for up to 80% of annual fluxes of particulate organic carbon. On average, a significant proportion of 21% of the mobile organic carbon belonged to the >0.45 μm fraction. The pedological setting and land use mostly impacted the solute signature but were of minor importance for the particle load. Our ongoing monitoring provides evidence of significant episodic nutrient fluxes and unveiled pronounced temporal patterns of field-scale pH fluctuations. We conclude that dynamics of the total mobile inventory, including particulates >0.45 μm must be considered in approaches that budget carbon and elemental fluxes, but also in concepts and models on nutrient cycles and subsurface ecosystem functioning.