Wu et al. (2026): Laboratory incubation reveals greater soil carbon stabilization by coniferous leaf litter than by broadleaf leaf litter despite slower decomposition
Panpan Wu, Ting Wu, Yun Zhang, Yidong Ding, Zhanfeng Liu, Rong Mao, IN: Journal of Plant Ecology, https://doi.org/10.1093/jpe/rtag040
Plant growth forms influence soil organic carbon (SOC) turnover through litter quality, yet their impacts on SOC formation pathways (particulate [POC] vs. mineral-associated [MAOC]) remain poorly understood in forest ecosystems. The authors collected leaf litter of deciduous broadleaf (4 species), evergreen broadleaf (5 species), and evergreen coniferous trees (3 species) in a subtropical forest. Using natural δ13C abundance, they traced litter-derived carbon flows into POC and MAOC pools during a 360-day laboratory incubation. Despite 18–32% lower mass loss, coniferous litter contributed 1.4- to 2.1-fold more to net SOC accumulation than broadleaf litter.