Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 19, 2026
07:46
Temperature Response of Soil Organic Matter Decomposition Rates: Construction and Applications of a Temperature Gradient Block
Published on: January 30, 2026
316
Temperature-Dependent Iron-Peroxidase Interactions Control Soil Carbon Stabilization across Climatic Gradients
Yi-Xuan Guo1, Jannik Martens2, Chao Wang3,4
1Tianjin Key Laboratory of Earth Critical Zone Science and Sustainable Development in Bohai Rim, Institute of Surface-Earth System Science, School of Earth System Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China.
Environmental Science & Technology
|March 18, 2026
Summary
Climate warming impacts soil organic carbon (SOC) by altering iron mineral-enzyme interactions. Warmer temperatures reduce enzyme activity and SOC stabilization, affecting terrestrial carbon feedbacks.
Area of Science:
- Soil Science
- Biogeochemistry
- Environmental Science
Background:
- Microbial extracellular enzymes bound to iron minerals regulate soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics.
- The effects of climate warming on these crucial mineral-enzyme interactions are not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of climate warming on mineral-enzyme feedbacks controlling SOC stabilization.
- To identify temperature thresholds and mechanisms governing these interactions along a climatic transect.
Main Methods:
- Studied mineral-enzyme interactions across a 4000 km climatic transect (2-24 °C).
- Utilized synchrotron-based microinfrared spectroscopy (n = 2783 spectra) to analyze mineral-organic residue interactions.
- Assessed peroxidase activity as a key indicator of enzyme function.
Main Results:
- Peroxidase activity showed a nonlinear response to temperature with a threshold around 20 °C.
- Cooler climates with abundant short-range ordered (SRO) iron minerals enhanced enzyme activity and SOC accumulation.
- Warmer climates with less SRO iron exhibited reduced enzyme sorption and SOC stabilization, linked to lower bioavailable carbon.
- Warming decreased mineral retention of organic residues by over 30% due to weakened mineral-organic affinity.
- Microbial necromass showed higher affinity for SRO minerals than plant residues.
Conclusions:
- A temperature-sensitive mineral-enzyme feedback mechanism influences SOC stability.
- This feedback is critical for predicting SOC dynamics and terrestrial carbon feedbacks under global warming.
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