The soil pore structure encountered by roots affects plant-derived carbon inputs and fate

Plant roots are the main supplier of carbon (C) to the soil, the largest terrestrial C reservoir. Soil pore structure drives root growth, yet how it affects belowground C inputs remains a critical knowledge gap. By combining X-ray computed tomography with ¹⁴ C plant labelling, we identified root-soil contact as a previously unrecognised influence on belowground plant C allocations and on the fate of plant-derived C in the soil. Greater contact with the surrounding soil, when the growing root encounters a pore structure dominated by small (< 40 μm Ø) pores, results in strong rhizodeposition but in areas of high microbial activity. The root system of Rudbeckia hirta revealed high plasticity and thus maintained high root-soil contact. This led to greater C inputs across a wide range of soil pore structures. The root-soil contact Panicum virgatum, a promising bioenergy feedstock crop, was sensitive to the encountered structure. Pore structure built by a polyculture, for example, restored prairie, can be particularly effective in promoting lateral root growth and thus root-soil contact and associated C benefits. The findings suggest that the interaction of pore structure with roots is an important, previously unrecognised, stimulus of soil C gains.