Determining factors of soil organic matter chemistry in present-day ecosystems

Soil organic matter (SOM) is a key factor in ecosystem dynamics. A better understanding of the global relationship between environmental characteristics, ecosystems and SOM chemistry is vital in order to assess its specific influence on carbon cycles. This study compared the composition of extracted SOM in topsoil and subsoil samples taken under tundra, taiga, steppe, temperate forest and tropical forest using pyrolysis-GC/MS. For temperate forests, the SOM chemistry is linked to driving ecological factors, including soil properties and overstory vegetation.

Keywords:subsoil, temperate forest, py-GC/MS, biomes, Soil organic matter