Iron‐mediated Stabilization of Soil Carbon

Abstract

Photo-mosaic by Rodrigo S. Correa Interdependent ecological and biogeochemical processes determine the success of ecosystem restoration. In central Brazil, a single application of iron- and nutrient-rich biosolids (sewage sludge) prompted the spontaneous revegetation of abandoned mines that had been barren for many decades following disturbance. Plant carbon inputs, stabilized into iron-coordinated complexes, served as nuclei for microbial formation of soil aggregates, causing an unexpected accumulation of soil carbon. In contrast with previous but unsuccessful attempts to restore lands through nutrient application alone, metallo-organic “fertilization” has the potential to enhance soil carbon sequestration and accelerate ecosystem restoration, while addressing important challenges associated with urban waste disposal. A 14-year chronosequence of mined sites undergoing restoration in central Brazil. The application of iron-rich sewage sludge biosolids triggered natural revegetation and accumulation of soil carbon in previously barren substrates. This photo-mosaic illustrates the article “Iron-mediated stabilization of soil carbon amplifies the benefits of ecological restoration in degraded lands” by Lucas C. R. Silva, Timothy A. Doane, Rodrigo S. Corrêa, Vinicius Valverde, Engil I. P. Pereira, and William R. Horwath, tentatively scheduled to appear in Ecological Applications 25(5), July 2015. http://dx.doi.org/10.1890/14-2151.1