Widespread soil acidification due to atmospheric acid deposition and agricultural fertilization may greatly accelerate soil carbonate dissolution and CO2 release. However, to date, few studies have addressed these processes. Here, we use meta-analysis and nationwide-survey datasets to investigate changes in soil inorganic carbon (SIC) stocks in China. We observe an overall decrease in SIC stocks in topsoil (0\uffe2\uff80\uff9330\uffc2\uffa0cm) (11.33\uffc2\uffa0g C m\uffe2\uff80\uff932 yr\uffe2\uff80\uff931) from the 1980s to the 2010s. Total SIC stocks have decreased by \uffe2\uff88\uffbc8.99\uffc2\uffa0\uffc2\uffb1\uffc2\uffa02.24% (1.37\uffc2\uffa0\uffc2\uffb1\uffc2\uffa00.37\uffc2\uffa0Pg C). The average SIC losses across China (0.046 Pg C yr\uffe2\uff80\uff931) and in cropland (0.016 Pg C yr\uffe2\uff80\uff931) account for \uffe2\uff88\uffbc17.6%\uffe2\uff80\uff9324.0% of the terrestrial C sink and 57.1% of the soil organic carbon sink in cropland, respectively. Nitrogen deposition and climate change have profound influences on SIC cycling. We estimate that \uffe2\uff88\uffbc19.12%\uffe2\uff80\uff9319.47% of SIC stocks will be further lost by 2100. The consumption of SIC may offset a large portion of global efforts aimed at ecosystem carbon sequestration, which emphasizes the importance of achieving a better understanding of the indirect coupling mechanisms of nitrogen and carbon cycling and of effective countermeasures to minimize SIC loss.Growing interest in the potential for agricultural soils to provide a sink for atmospheric C has prompted studies of effects of management on soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration. We analyzed the impact on SOC of four N fertilization rates (0\uffe2\uff80\uff93270 kg N ha\uffe2\uff88\uff921) and four cropping systems: continuous corn (CC) (Zea mays L.); corn\uffe2\uff80\uff93soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] (CS); corn\uffe2\uff80\uff93corn\uffe2\uff80\uff93oat\uffe2\uff80\uff93alfalfa (oat, Avena sativa L.; alfalfa, Medicago sativa L.) (CCOA), and corn\uffe2\uff80\uff93oat\uffe2\uff80\uff93alfalfa\uffe2\uff80\uff93alfalfa (COAA). Soils were sampled in 2002, Years 23 and 48 of the experiments located in northeast and north\uffe2\uff80\uff90central Iowa, respectively. The experiments were conducted using a replicated split\uffe2\uff80\uff90plot design under conventional tillage. A native prairie was sampled to provide a reference (for one site only). Cropping systems that contained alfalfa had the highest SOC stocks, whereas the CS system generally had the lowest SOC stocks. Concentrations of SOC increased significantly between 1990 and 2002 in only two of the nine systems for which historical data were available, the fertilized CC and COAA systems at one site. Soil quality indices such as particulate organic carbon (POC) were influenced by cropping system, with CS < CC < CCOA. In the native prairie, SOC, POC, and resistant C concentrations were 2.8, 2.6, and 3.9 times, respectively, the highest values in cropped soil, indicating that cultivated soils had not recovered to precultivation conditions. Although corn yields increased with N additions, N fertilization increased SOC stocks only in the CC system at one site. Considering the C cost for N fertilizer production, N fertilization generally had a net negative effect on C sequestration.
", "keywords": ["corn\u2013soybean MAP", "2. Zero hunger", "particulate organic carbon SIC", "soil organic carbon SOM", "soil organic matter TN", "corn\u2013corn\u2013oat\u2013alfalfa CE", "corn\u2013oat\u2013alfalfa\u2013alfalfa CS", "Natural Resources Management and Policy", "Carlo-Erba COAA", "Soil Science", "Walkley-Black", "soil inorganic carbon SOC", "04 agricultural and veterinary sciences", "15. Life on land", "CC", "630", "6. Clean water", "\u03c1b", "mean annual precipitation PMC", "total nitrogen WB", "Agronomy and Crop Sciences", "continuous corn CCOA", "0401 agriculture", " forestry", " and fisheries", "potential mineralization of carbon POC"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://doi.org/10.2136/sssaj2005.0413"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Soil%20Science%20Society%20of%20America%20Journal", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.2136/sssaj2005.0413", "name": "item", "description": "10.2136/sssaj2005.0413", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.2136/sssaj2005.0413"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2005-03-01T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.5061/dryad.ns1rn8png", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-06-26T16:24:09Z", "type": "Dataset", "title": "Shrub encroachment decreases soil inorganic carbon stocks in Mongolian grasslands", "description": "1. Widespread shrub encroachment in global drylands may increase plant biomass and change soil organic carbon stocks of grassland ecosystems. However, the response of soil inorganic carbon (SIC), which is a major component of dryland carbon pools, to this vegetation shift remains unknown. 2. We conducted a systematic field survey in 75 pairs of shrub-encroached grassland and control plots at 25 sites in the grasslands of the Inner Mongolia Plateau to evaluate how shrub encroachment affects SIC density (SICD) in these ecosystems. 3. We found that shrub encroachment significantly reduced SICD in the upper 100 cm (3.85 vs. 4.74 kg C m-2, P < 0.05), especially in the subsurface soil (20-50 cm layer). The magnitude of SICD changes was related to the change in soil pH, shrub patch size, and initial SICD, reflecting that the reduction in SICD might be attributed to the shrub encroachment-related soil acidification. Our results also revealed that the lost SIC was mainly released into the atmosphere rather than redistributed into deeper soil layers. 4. Synthesis. We provide the first evidence for the soil acidification-induced SIC loss caused by shrub encroachment. Our findings highlight the non-negligible role of SIC dynamics in the C budget of shrub-encroached grassland ecosystems and the need to consider these dynamics in terrestrial C cycle research.", "keywords": ["2. Zero hunger", "carbon budget", "13. Climate action", "Soil inorganic carbon", "Temperate grassland", "carbon source", "soil acidification", "15. Life on land", "shrub encroachment", "Invasion ecology"], "contacts": [{"organization": "Liu, Shangshi, Zhou, Luhong, Li, He, Zhao, Xia, Yang, Yuanhe, Zhu, Yankun, Hu, Huifeng, Chen, Leiyi, Zhang, Pujin, Shen, Haihua, Fang, Jingyun,", "roles": ["creator"]}]}, "links": [{"href": "https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.ns1rn8png"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.5061/dryad.ns1rn8png", "name": "item", "description": "10.5061/dryad.ns1rn8png", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.5061/dryad.ns1rn8png"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2019-10-03T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "3178537690", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-06-26T16:30:20Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2021-06-29", "title": "Significant loss of soil inorganic carbon at the continental scale", "description": "AbstractWidespread soil acidification due to atmospheric acid deposition and agricultural fertilization may greatly accelerate soil carbonate dissolution and CO2 release. However, to date, few studies have addressed these processes. Here, we use meta-analysis and nationwide-survey datasets to investigate changes in soil inorganic carbon (SIC) stocks in China. We observe an overall decrease in SIC stocks in topsoil (0\uffe2\uff80\uff9330\uffc2\uffa0cm) (11.33\uffc2\uffa0g C m\uffe2\uff80\uff932 yr\uffe2\uff80\uff931) from the 1980s to the 2010s. Total SIC stocks have decreased by \uffe2\uff88\uffbc8.99\uffc2\uffa0\uffc2\uffb1\uffc2\uffa02.24% (1.37\uffc2\uffa0\uffc2\uffb1\uffc2\uffa00.37\uffc2\uffa0Pg C). The average SIC losses across China (0.046 Pg C yr\uffe2\uff80\uff931) and in cropland (0.016 Pg C yr\uffe2\uff80\uff931) account for \uffe2\uff88\uffbc17.6%\uffe2\uff80\uff9324.0% of the terrestrial C sink and 57.1% of the soil organic carbon sink in cropland, respectively. Nitrogen deposition and climate change have profound influences on SIC cycling. We estimate that \uffe2\uff88\uffbc19.12%\uffe2\uff80\uff9319.47% of SIC stocks will be further lost by 2100. The consumption of SIC may offset a large portion of global efforts aimed at ecosystem carbon sequestration, which emphasizes the importance of achieving a better understanding of the indirect coupling mechanisms of nitrogen and carbon cycling and of effective countermeasures to minimize SIC loss.Widespread soil acidification due to atmospheric acid deposition and agricultural fertilization may greatly accelerate soil carbonate dissolution and CO2 release. However, to date, few studies have addressed these processes. Here, we use meta-analysis and nationwide-survey datasets to investigate changes in soil inorganic carbon (SIC) stocks in China. We observe an overall decrease in SIC stocks in topsoil (0\uffe2\uff80\uff9330\uffc2\uffa0cm) (11.33\uffc2\uffa0g C m\uffe2\uff80\uff932 yr\uffe2\uff80\uff931) from the 1980s to the 2010s. Total SIC stocks have decreased by \uffe2\uff88\uffbc8.99\uffc2\uffa0\uffc2\uffb1\uffc2\uffa02.24% (1.37\uffc2\uffa0\uffc2\uffb1\uffc2\uffa00.37\uffc2\uffa0Pg C). The average SIC losses across China (0.046 Pg C yr\uffe2\uff80\uff931) and in cropland (0.016 Pg C yr\uffe2\uff80\uff931) account for \uffe2\uff88\uffbc17.6%\uffe2\uff80\uff9324.0% of the terrestrial C sink and 57.1% of the soil organic carbon sink in cropland, respectively. Nitrogen deposition and climate change have profound influences on SIC cycling. We estimate that \uffe2\uff88\uffbc19.12%\uffe2\uff80\uff9319.47% of SIC stocks will be further lost by 2100. The consumption of SIC may offset a large portion of global efforts aimed at ecosystem carbon sequestration, which emphasizes the importance of achieving a better understanding of the indirect coupling mechanisms of nitrogen and carbon cycling and of effective countermeasures to minimize SIC loss.