Soil Dissolved Organic Matter Research Articles

Biocrusts benefit soil carbon sequestration via increasing the stability of soil dissolved organic carbon in dryland ecosystem.

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) is a bioavailable and complex carbon pool, which pool size and chemical composition fundamentally determine soil organic carbon (SOC) cycle and are strongly impacted by biocrusts. However, how the chemical compositions of DOM impact SOC sequestration in dryland ecosystems remains largely unknown. Here, soil DOM was extracted from 24 soil samples collected from biocrust and bare soils in the dryland ecosystem of northwest China. We investigated the quantity, optical properties, and molecular-level characteristics of soil DOM as well as SOC contents and stability, aiming to understand SOC sequestration by linking the chemical composition of soil DOM. Results showed that biocrust significantly increased the biological stability of SOC. SOC and DOC contents increased from 3.68±2.72gkg-1 dry soil and 65.79±32.76mgkg-1 dry soil in bare soil to 11.19±5.21gkg-1 dry soil and 137.62±49.42mgkg-1 dry soil in biocrust soil, respectively. Biocrust increased DOM average molecular weight and aromaticity, with highly humified DOM (C2) increasing by 53%, modified aromatic index by 33%, and condensed aromatics by 94%. Biocrust also increased recalcitrant DOM compounds but decreased labile DOM compounds, with increasing percentages of lignin-like, and tannin-like compounds, and decreasing percentage of more bioavailable molecules with H/C ratio ≥1.5. Importantly, significant positive correlations of the SOC contents with optical properties and with recalcitrant DOM compounds were observed. These findings suggest that biocrust alters the chemical composition of soil DOM in a way to benefits SOC sequestration in the dryland ecosystem.

Iron(II/III) Alters the Relative Roles of the Microbial Byproduct and Humic Acid during Chromium(VI) Reduction and Fixation by Soil-Dissolved Organic Matter.

Though reduction of hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) to Cr(III) by dissolved organic matter (DOM) is critical for the remediation of polluted soils, the effects of DOM chemodiversity and underlying mechanisms are not fully elucidated yet. Here, Cr(VI) reduction and immobilization mediated by microbial byproduct (MBP)- and humic acid (HA)-like components in (hot) water-soluble organic matter (WSOM), (H)WSOM, from four soil samples in tropical and subtropical regions of China were investigated. It demonstrates that Cr(VI) reduction capacity decreases in the order WSOM > HWSOM and MBP-enriched DOM > HA-enriched DOM due to the higher contents of low molecular weight saturated compounds and CHO molecules in the former. The presence of Fe(II/III) selectively coprecipitates with high molecular weight components (e.g., tannins, lignin, and CHON-rich compounds) to form ferrihydrite and greatly inhibits Cr(VI) transformation and fixation in MBP-enriched DOM but enhances that in HA-enriched DOM. This is probably owing to the combined effects of (1) the increase of DOM electron-donating capacity and Fe(II) generation during the reactions of HA with Fe(II) and Fe(III), respectively; (2) the enrichment of phenolic and carboxyl groups, aromatic compounds, and carbon defects on ferrihydrite surfaces; and (3) the acceleration of HA decomposition and MBP mineralization by hydroxyl radicals. These findings enhance our understanding of the chemodiversity of soil DOM, the complex interactions between Cr(VI), DOM, and Fe(II/III), and can help design remediation strategies for contaminated environments.

Lignin and Peptide Promote the Abundance and Activity of Arsenic Methylation Microbes in Paddy Soils.

Rice physiological straighthead disease is induced by microbially mediated arsenic methylation and usually regionally distributed in paddy soils. However, the biogeochemical mechanism underlying the geographic distribution of microbial communities harboring methylating genes (arsM) remains unclear. Herein, we revealed significant (p = 0.001) differences in the arsM communities in different regions of Chinese paddy soils at the continental scale. Moreover, a positive correlation between the diversity of arsM communities and the chemodiversity of soil dissolved organic matter (DOM) was revealed. Among the different DOM components, lignin- and peptide-like DOM are the most important DOM components impacting the abundance and diversity of arsM communities. Metatranscriptomic analyses of 18 selected paddy soil samples revealed that the expression of the arsM gene increased with increasing soil lignin and peptide contents. Compared with the control, the addition of lignin and peptide significantly (p < 0.05) increased the methylated As concentration in the incubated paddy soils. Communities harboring arsM genes belonging to the phyla Chloroflexota, Verrucomicrobiota, Deltaproteobacteria, Thermodesulfobacteriota, and Ignavibacteriota mostly dominated in paddy soils with relatively high lignin and peptide contents. This study highlights the correlation between the diversity of DOM and arsM communities in paddy soils and provides mechanistic information for soil arsenic contamination control and sustainable rice production.

Interactive effects of soil dissolved organic matter (DOM) and Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances on contaminated soil site: DOM molecular-level perspective.

Dissolved organic matter (DOM), as the most active soil component, plays a crucial role in regulating the transport of contaminants. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been found to be widespread contaminants in the soil environment, and their migration would be also affected by DOM. Herein, the surface and subsurface soil samples collected from two PFAS manufacturing factories were studied for the variation characteristics of DOM under PFAS contamination, and the interaction between DOM and PFAS in soil was further explored. The results showed that PFAS contamination significantly reduced the richness of surface soil DOM. For the specific DOM components, the potential transformation of DOM in subsurface soil indicates that the presence of PFAS promotes the transformation of other DOM components to PA compounds. Moreover, a strong positive relationship was observed between the concentration of most perfluoroalkyl sulfonic acids (PFSAs) and the average unsaturation (DBE) and aromaticity index (AImod) of DOM, while no such relationship for perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFCAs), suggesting DBE and AImod may be a potential contributor influencing the distribution and transport of PFSAs. These findings highlight the interaction between DOM and the PFAS in the soil environment, which may enhance our understanding of the release and fate of PFAS in the soil environment.

Optical properties and photobleaching of wildfire ashes aqueous extracts.

Wildfires can severely degrade soils and watersheds. Post-fire rain events can leach ashes and altered dissolved organic matter (DOM) into streams, impacting water quality and carbon biogeochemistry. The photochemical properties and persistence of DOM from wildfire ash leachates are not well understood. To establish a range of properties, wildfire DOM leachates were generated from (i) surficial [grey and black] wildfire ashes, (ii) mineral soils below ash, and (iii) unimpacted soils from two Colorado wildfire scars. Subsequently, the leachates were studied under simulated sunlight. Photochemical properties of absorbance, fluorescence and 1O2 quantum yield (ΦF and Φ1O2) were determined for thirteen wildfire leachates. Φ1O2 of ash leachates was greatest (7.6 ± 3.4%), followed by underlying mineralized soil leachates (4.6 ± 0.7%), and control soil leachates (Φ1O2 = 3.9 ± 1%). Correlations between increasing E2 : E3, ΦF, Φ1O2 suggest that surface ash leachates with elevated molar absorptivity may play an important role in 1O2 production that is not well documented. Interestingly, photobleaching experiments comparing ash DOM to unimpacted soil DOM revealed ash leachates lost fluorescence, absorbance, while producing CO2 at rates ∼3 fold greater than soils. This suggests that aromatic features of ashes may cause degradation of wildfire DOM faster than unimpacted DOM in the environment.

Effects of straw amendment on the bioavailability of selenite in soil and its mechanisms.

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) released by straw returning for decomposition interacts with selenium (Se) in soil, which affects the speciation distribution of Se and its bioavailability. However, the relative mechanisms involved are slightly understood. This study investigated the effects of straw-derived DOM on two levels of exogenous selenite (low-Se and high-Se treatments) in two types of soil with distinct pH. Interactions between DOM and Se were revealed through three-dimensional excitation emission matrix (3D-EEM) fluorescence spectroscopy and two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy (2D-COS). Results showed that straw amendment significantly enhanced selenite bioavailability in alkaline Lou soil regardless of Se application rates (p < 0.05). However, only the high-Se treatment generated remarkable Se content in wheat grains in acidic krasnozems (p < 0.05). Selenite predominantly incorporated with phenolic and etheric C-O functional groups of DOM in soil, which mainly existed in aromatic DOM such as humic acid (HA). Consequently, HA-Se was more likely to form in krasnozems enriched with HA. 2D-COS evidenced that HA mineralization promoted Se bioavailability in krasnozems with high-Se treatment. After selenite complexed with saturated and unsaturated aliphatic carboxyl groups (CO) of DOM, it formed Hy-Se and FA-Se in Lou soil, which could be directly absorbed by wheat roots. Therefore, the composition and functional group reaction sequences of DOM in different soils manipulated selenite bioavailability in soil. These findings could provide a basis for regulating Se bioavailability during biofortification in soils.

Organic Matter Composition as a Driver of Soil Bacterial Responses to Pig Carcass Decomposition in a Canadian Continental Climate

AbstractOrganic by‐products are released into the surrounding soil during the terrestrial decomposition of animal remains. The affected area, known as the Cadaver Decomposition Island (CDI), can undergo biochemical changes that contribute to landscape heterogeneity. Soil bacteria are highly sensitive to labile inputs, but it is unknown how they respond to shifts in dissolved organic matter (DOM) quantity and quality resulting from animal decomposition. We aimed to evaluate the relationship between soil DOM composition and bacterial activity/function in CDIs under a Canadian temperate continental climate. This was studied in soils surrounding adult pig carcasses (n = 3) that were surface deposited within a mixed forested environment (Trois‐Rivières, Québec) in June 2019. Using fluorescence spectroscopy and dissolved organic carbon analyses, we detected a pulse of labile protein‐like DOM during the summer season (day 55). This was found to be an important driver of heightened soil bacterial respiration, cell abundance and potential carbohydrate metabolism. These bacterial disturbances persisted into the cooler autumn season (day 156) and led to the gradual transformation of labile DOM inputs into microbially sourced humic‐like compounds. By the spring (day 324), DOM quantities and bacterial measures almost recovered, but DOM quality remained distinct from surrounding vegetal humic signals. All observed effects were spatially constrained to the topsoil (A‐horizon) and within 20 cm laterally from the carcasses. These findings provide valuable insight into CDI organic matter cycling within a cold‐climate ecosystem. Repeated CDI studies will however be required to capture the changing dynamics resulting from increasing global temperatures.

Optical and molecular techniques are complementary to understand the characteristics of dissolved organic matter in the runoff from sloping croplands with various micro-topographies during rainfall

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) is a vital component of biogeochemical cycles in soil and aquatic ecosystems. The distribution of surface and sub-surface runoff was affected by surface micro-topographic conditions during rainfall, which results in the differences in DOM content and composition. Whereas, the connections between the optical and molecular characteristics of DOM in the runoff from different micro-topographies caused by tillage managements remains unclear. Therefore, optical spectroscopy and Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS) were combined to explore the DOM chemistry in the runoff from different runoff plots with various micro-topographies caused by four typical tillage managements (i.e. flat tillage, longitudinal tillage, contour tillage, and artificial digging tillage) in this study. The results observed a significant difference in optical and molecular parameters between surface and sub-surface runoff for the specified runoff plot, but little variations in DOM chemistry between different runoff plots with various micro-topographies for the given runoff type. These differences in the DOM content and composition of runoff were limited by the flow carrying capacity and source supplying capacity of DOM. Significant correlations between optical and molecular parameters in surface and sub-surface runoff were found by Spearman correlation analysis. Furthermore, the bipartite networks further indicated the optical and molecular datasets in sub-surface runoff showed greater consistency and correlation intensity. These correlations and some of the inconsistencies indicated that optical and molecular technologies are complementary to trace DOM chemistry. This research is of significance to further clarify the migration patterns of DOM in global soil and aquatic ecosystems, and reveal the influence of rainfall-runoff processes on the migration of biogenic elements in ecosystems.

New insights into aqueous Hg(II) photoreduction from paddy field system to natural water: Gear effect of straw returning and soil tillage

Soil dissolved organic matter (SDOM) has a strong complex with divalent mercury (Hg(II)) and can affect the fate of aqueous Hg(II) photoreduction. However, little is known about the influence of straw returning and soil tillage on the composition of SDOM in paddy soil and Hg(II) photoreduction in paddy water. Here, we demonstrate that the combined drivers of long-term straw returning and tillage can result in higher degrees of aromatization, and the enrichment of oxygen-containing functional groups in surface SDOM. Hg(II) photoreduction under low Hg/DOC conditions is mainly constrained by the composition of SDOM, whereas solar radiation emerged as a dominant controlling factor associated with high ratio of Hg/DOC. By increasing the release of SDOM and mobility of Hg(II), reducing the stability of Hg(II)-SDOM complexes, and potentially enhancing generation of reactive intermediates, gear effect of straw returning and soil tillage significantly enhanced Hg(II) photoreduction in the presence of surface SDOM from 0–40 cm (maximum photoreduction percentage can reach 44.76 ± 2.24 %). Previous inventories of Hg(0) emissions from paddy field system may have overlooked or underestimated this critical process. Future modeling work should be carried out to evaluate the role of straw returning and soil tillage on global Hg cycle.

Characteristics of Spatial Distribution of Soil Organic Carbon and Its Seasonal Change of Different Vegetation Buffer Zones in Duliujian River

Different vegetation types may affect the accumulation and transformation of soil organic carbon （SOC）, but it is unclear whether the organic carbon fixation is realized by litter input and/or root control of environmental factors and dissolved organic matter （DOM） of soils. In this study, the spatial distribution characteristics of easily oxidizable organic carbon （EOC）, dissolved organic carbon （DOC）, particulate organic carbon （POC）, mineral-bound organic carbon （MAOC）, and their seasonal variations in the surface soil （0-10 cm） were studied in different vegetation zones of the arbor forest （at the upper position）, the mixed forest of arbor and shrub （at the middle position）, and the waterfront vegetation （at the bottom position） in the ecological embankment of Duliujian River, Tianjin, China. The spatial distribution characteristics of soil DOM components and their seasonal changes were also analyzed by combining UV-visible spectroscopy and 3D fluorescence spectroscopy. The results showed that： ① The accumulation of SOC was significantly higher in the waterfront vegetation than in the arbor forest and the mixed forest of arbor and shrub in summer, whereas the opposite was true during the spring season. It was indicated that the root input of the soil was the key driving factor for determining the accumulation of SOC in summer, whereas the input quality of above-ground litters was more important for the sequestration of SOC in spring. ② Differences in DOM fractions explained the fixation and transformation pathways of SOC in different seasons, with humus-derived DOM in spring promoting the transformation of DOC to POC and MAOC and microbial-derived DOM in summer advancing the transfer of EOC to MAOC under the action of microorganisms. ③ Soil physicochemical properties had less direct influences on SOC, which preferentially affected SOC accumulation by regulating the composition as well as the chemical structure of soil DOM. ④ The structural equation modeling indicated that water content （MC） and total phosphorus （TP） were directly involved in SOC transport and transformation, whereas ammonium nitrogen （NH4+-N）, nitrate nitrogen （NO3--N）, electrical conductivity （EC）, available phosphorus （AP）, pH, K+, and Na+ indirectly affected SOC accumulation mediated by DOM from humus and microbial sources. In summary, the present study elucidated that the trade-off mechanisms affecting SOC sequestration in the critical functional zone along the land-river ecotone, and the results can provide theoretical support for further exploring the constructive methods of ecological corridors and the pathways of carbon sequestration and sink enhancement in the "watershed-estuary-offshore" system of the coastal rivers.

Spatial variations and vertical migration potentials of petroleum hydrocarbons with varying chain lengths in soils of different depths: Roles of solid and dissolved organic matters and soil texture

Petroleum hydrocarbons (PHs) in contaminated sites may threaten human health and ecological safety, while the environmental behaviors of PHs with varying carbon chains and critical influencing factors need to be elucidated, thus facilitating efficient risk management. This study explored the occurrence characteristics and spatial variations of different PHs at the depths of 0–10 m in an abandoned industrial site, as well as evaluated the effects of solid organic matter (SOM), dissolved organic matter (DOM), and soil texture on the migration potentials of PHs with varying carbon chains. Furthermore, the leaching potentials of different PHs were integrated into their risk assessment. The total concentrations of PHs in contaminated soils ranged from 22.7 to 397 mg/kg in contaminated soils, and the long-chained PHs (C22-C40) represented the major components with an average contribution of 46.9 %, followed by short-chained PHs (C10-C12, 32.0 % average) and medium-chained PHs (C13-C21, 21.1 % average). As soil depth increased, a declining trend was observed in the proportions of long-chain PHs, with an augmentation in the relative abundance of short-chain PHs. The random forest model coupling redundancy analysis showed that SOM was the major contributor to the occurrence and vertical attenuation of PHs with longer carbon chains in underground soils, with clay component exerting a greater additional effect than silt and sand components. While DOM in soils exhibited a relatively high contribution to the retention of PHs with short carbon chains. These results demonstrated the significant influence of SOM and clay on the behavior of long-chained PHs and DOM on that of short-chained ones. Besides direct human exposure, the leaching potentials of PHs, particularly short-chained ones, in soils should be considered for a more comprehensive risk assessment. The findings of this study may assist with the behavior modelling and prediction of different PHs as well as the corresponding risk control.

Influence of spectral and molecular composition of dissolved organic matter on labile Cd mobility in riparian soils in the Three Gorges Reservoir, China

The periodic anti-seasonal inundation of the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) leads to changes in the molecular composition of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in riparian soils, further impacting the geochemical processes and ecological risk of heavy metals. However, the intrinsic driving mechanisms of DOM influencing the cadmium (Cd), a major pollutant in riparian soils in TGR, at the molecular level remain unclear. In this study, the DOM molecular composition, labile Cd in riparian soils and the key driving mechanism before and after flooding were explored using Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS), the diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT) and partial least squares path modeling (PLS-PM). A spectral analysis revealed that after flooding, the relative abundance of terrestrial humic-like substances decreased whereas that of microbial humic-like substances increased. Furthermore, FT-ICR MS analysis revealed that the relative abundance of lignin, the main molecular components of DOM in riparian soils, increased after flooding. The linkage of DOM with the concentration and kinetic processes of labile Cd indicated that the higher aromaticity and unsaturation, larger molecular weight, and higher humification level of DOM promoted the mobility of labile Cd from the soil solid phase to the liquid phase. In particular, our findings indicated that at the molecular level, the most significant factor influencing the mobility of labile Cd was lignin, which was primarily governed by the complexation of lignin with labile Cd. The complexation mechanism between lignin and labile Cd resulted in increased ecotoxicological risk of labile Cd after flooding, while the overall ecotoxicological risk was low in riparian soils in TGR. This study provides better insight into the geochemical cycling and fate of toxic elements in reservoir ecosystems under the change of hydrological regime.

Effects of Microplastics and Organic Fertilizer Regulation on Soil Dissolved Organic Matter Evolution.

Microplastics are pollutants of global concern nowadays. However, the effects of microplastics addition to soil as a carbon source and the combined effects of microplastics and organic fertilizer on soil-dissolved organic matter (DOM) evolution are still unclear. This study focused on the evolution of DOM in soil with the addition of microplastics and investigated the variations in the content and composition of DOM in unfertilized and fertilized soil with different particle sizes of microplastics. It was observed that the TOC concentration of the soil DOM in the treatment with organic fertilizer and microplastics increased more (129.97-161.43 mg kg-1) than that in the treatment with microplastics alone (117.17-131.87 mg kg-1) and was higher than that in the original soil (95.65 mg kg-1). According to the humic acid relative abundance in DOM after 40 days of incubation, the humic acid relative abundance in DOM of the soil samples with microplastics and organic fertilizers addition was found to be higher than that in those with microplastic addition alone, reaching more than 80% in a short time. In conclusion, the TOC concentration of the soil DOM increased with the addition of microplastics, and the increase was more pronounced when organic fertilizers and microplastics were added together. Moreover, the soil humification increased to a higher level in the short term with the combined addition of microplastics and organic fertilizers, which was maintained during the long-term incubation process.

Changes in plant resource inputs lead to rapid alterations in soil dissolved organic matter composition in an old-growth tropical forest

Alterations in plant resource inputs to soil affect soil organic matter (OM) dynamics. However, it remains unclear how to alter soil dissolved OM (DOM) composition. Here, we used UV/fluorescence spectroscopy and Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry to analyze soil DOM’s optical and molecular characteristics after eight months of detritus input and removal in an old-growth tropical forest. Changes in plant inputs significantly altered soil DOM’s optical properties, and the most pronounced changes were observed in the humification index and fluorescent components. In litterfall removal and no-input plots, molecular characteristic values increased greatly, such as O/C, double-bond equivalent, aromaticity index, and proportion of carboxyl-rich alicyclic molecules, while biolabile compounds decreased. The abundance of lignin-like and tannin-like compounds was more than 20 % higher in litter removal plots than in no-input plots. Our findings indicate that changes in plant resource inputs can lead to rapid alterations in soil DOM composition.

Photo-assisted conversion of tetracycline in regulated persulfate system: Multiple roles of natural dissolved organic matter

Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) using persulfate system can effectively remove organic pollutants. However, dissolved organic matter (DOM) has multiple effects on AOPs efficiency, and the influence of DOMs from natural sources on AOPs is still unclear. In this study, we explored the effects of soil DOM (SDOM) and fertilizer DOM (FDOM) on tetracycline (TC) removal by persulfate systems. DOMs introduction decreased light transmittance, slightly increased the pH of the systems, and destroyed original adsorption–desorption equilibrium. SDOM promoted most reactive species generation in the initial stage, thus improving the initial TC degradation rate. However, introduction of SDOM and FDOM increased the final TC residual rate. FDOM produced more obvious inhibitory effects on TC degradation. The final TC residual rates in systems containing 7.5 and 15 mg L-1 FDOM (F7.5-TC-PS and F15-TC-PS, respectively) were 25.85 % and 25.52 %, respectively. The inhibitory effects of FDOM on TC degradation were related to the combination between TC and FDOM, with humic acid-like component in FDOM being the main contributor. Besides, the main components in DOMs underwent transformation in the persulfate systems. This study sought to provide insights into the regulatory effects of DOM on TC photo-assisted conversion by AOPs.

Real-time two-dimensional visualization reveals the transport mechanisms of biochar colloids in the presence of DOM in porous media

Biochar colloids (BCs) have attracted much attention globally, and their fate and transport in the subsurface are significantly influenced by soil-dissolved organic matter (DOM) in soil. This study utilized a real-time and non-invasive visualization system to reveal the transport and retention behavior of BCs in the presence of DOM in two-dimensional porous media. Results indicated that the presence of DOM enhanced the transport of BCs, due to its increased negative charge density and increased repulsion between BCs. The change in the particle size of the porous medium was also shown to affect the BCs transport in the porous media. Additionally, the negative charge of BCs shielded by high IS, the mobility of BCs decreased by 30.37 % from 1 mM to 50 mM. When the pH was increased from 5 to 9, the oxygen-containing functional groups of BCs and DOM were dissociated, and the mobility of BCs increased by 32.41 %. Through a simplified Double-Monod model, we fitted the breakthrough curves for BCs transport in porous media (R2 > 0.94). Moreover, the mechanism of different conditions on colloid clogging behavior was further elucidated through the DLVO theory. These findings extend the understanding of the environmental behavior of BCs in the presence of DOM derived from soil, enabling us to assess better and predict their environmental risks.

Influences of wildfire on the soil dissolved organic matter characteristics and its electron-donating capacity

Global increases in the intensity and frequency of wildfires are driving major changes in soil organic matter (SOM) characteristics, including soil dissolved organic matter (DOM). As the most crucial component of SOM, soil DOM plays a pivotal role in the carbon cycle and regulates the environmental fate of contaminants through its versatile reactivities, including electron-donating capacity (EDC). However, it is still being determined how wildfire influences key characteristics of soil DOM and subsequent effects on EDC in forest soils. Thus, we conducted our study to fill this gap with the forest soils of Jinyun Mountain Nature Reserve of China, which experienced an unprecedented wildfire event in 2022. The results from optical characterization, high-performance size-exclusion chromatography (HPSEC), and Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR-MS) showed decreasing molecular weight but elevating nitrogen-containing molecular formulas of soil DOM in the burned soils. This could be attributed to the Maillard reaction and microbial re-colonies. Additionally, wildfires increased the condensed aromatics and lignin components in soil DOM. In the burned soils, we observed increasing EDC of soil DOM, which accounts for an increase in lignin-derived phenolic components. Overall, the findings of this study demonstrate that eco-disturbances, such as wildfires, induce alterations in the properties of DOM, leading to variations in its reactivity and potentially influencing the fate of environmental pollutants beyond carbon dynamics alone. Thus, incorporating the dynamic properties of soil DOM, particularly in the context of climate change, can enhance the assessment of risks associated with contaminants in soil and water, providing valuable insights.

Short-term warming decreased soil DOM content and microbial species in alpine wetlands but increased soil DOM content and hydrolase activity in alpine meadows on the Tibetan Plateau

As important carbon sinks, alpine wetlands on the Tibetan Plateau are undergoing severe degradation. To reveal warming-induced ecological shifts in alpine environments, this study determined soil nutrient contents, enzyme activities, absorption and fluorescence spectra and quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectra (metabolomes) of dissolved organic matter (DOM) and metagenomes based on short-term incubation (0 °C, 10 °C and 20 °C) of topsoil from alpine wetlands and meadows (degraded wetlands). Compared with meadows, wetlands had higher contents of soil DOM (dissolved organic carbon, dissolved organic nitrogen and dissolved phosphorous) and greater activities of hydrolases (β-glucosidase, cellobiohydrolase, β-N-acetylglucosaminidase and acid phosphatase), with those parameters all being highest at 20 °C in meadows and showing various dynamics in wetlands. Soil DOM in wetlands presented the lowest values of specific ultraviolet absorbances (SUVA254 and SUVA260) at 0 °C and the highest values at 10 °C, whereas the opposite was true in the meadows. Wetland soils had greater diversities of DOM molecular compositions and microbial communities, with warming gradually increasing the number of identified DOM compounds in meadows and decreasing the number of microbial species in both soils. Wetland soils had more Proteobacteria (44.2%) and Acidobacteria (21.1%) and fewer Actinobacteria (18.0%) than meadow soils and contained many temperature-sensitive archaea (which were abundant at 0 °C). Distance-based redundancy analysis and Procrustes analysis indicated the greater complexity of ecological responses in alpine wetlands, which may be attributed to the higher adaptive capacity of soil microbial communities. Our results suggest that both degradation and warming decrease soil DOM content and microbial activities in alpine wetlands, providing important references for alpine wetland conservation under current climate change.

Effects of mineral adsorption on the molecular composition of soil dissolved organic matter: Evidence from spectral analyses

The adsorption of soil dissolved organic matter (DOM) by minerals is crucial for long-term carbon storage and has been extensively studied. However, the variations in soil DOM composition resulting from adsorption by different minerals have rarely been investigated from a spectral perspective. This study examined the impact of non‑iron (kaolinite) and iron-bearing (ferrihydrite) minerals on the concentration and characteristics of DOM from dark brown soil during a 60-h-long incubation experiment. Soil dissolved organic carbon was removed more efficiently by ferrihydrite (66.2 %) than by kaolinite (14.8 %). UV–Vis spectroscopic analysis indicated that DOM with high aromaticity and molecular weight exhibited a strong affinity for both ferrihydrite and kaolinite. The fluorescence of soil DOM decreased in the ferrihydrite treatment, with a notable reduction in humic-like fluorescent components identified through fluorescent excitation-emission matrix coupled parallel factor analysis. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed that carboxyl groups were critical in DOM adsorption on ferrihydrite, participating in ligand exchange, hydrogen bonding, and electrostatic attraction. This study highlights the important role of iron-bearing minerals in soil carbon sequestration and demonstrates how different mineral alter soil DOM composition, potentially influencing the cycling of organic carbon in terrestrial systems.

Long-term straw return enhanced the chlorine reactivity of soil DOM: Highlighting the molecular-level activity and transformation trade-offs

Chemical properties and molecular diversity of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in agricultural soils are important for soil carbon dynamics and chlorine activity. Yet the chlorine reactivity of soil DOM at the molecular level under agricultural management practices remains unidentified. Here, we investigated the chlorine reactivity of soil DOM under long-term straw return and the molecular activities and transformations during chlorination. The 9-year straw return enhanced the chlorine reactivity of soil DOM, leading to increases in the production of traditional disinfection byproducts (DBPs) and decreases in the formation of emerging high molecular weight DBPs. C17HnOmCl1–2 and C22HnNmOzCl were the highest relative abundances of emerging DBPs. The emerging DBPs were primarily generated through chlorine substitution reactions, with their precursors exhibiting higher H/Cwa (1.47) and O/Cwa (0.41) ratios under straw return. The molecular transformation ability and inactive molecules of soil DOM under long-term straw return were reduced after chlorination, resulting in increased DOM instability. Chlorination led to a shift in the thermodynamic processes of soil DOM molecules from thermodynamically limited to thermodynamically favorable processes, and lignin-like compounds displayed higher potentials for transformation into protein/amino sugar-like compounds. C19H26O6 was identified as a sensitive formula for tracing chlorine reactivity under straw return, and a network illustrating the generation of DBPs from C19H26O6 was established. Overall, these results highlighted the strong chlorine reactivity of soil DOM under long-term straw return.