The DOI matches its Crossref record; 41 of the 41 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Soil carbon saturation: concept, evidence and evaluation
Abstract
Current estimates of soil C storage potential are based on models or factors that assume linearity between C input levels and C stocks at steady-state, implying that SOC stocks could increase without limit as C input levels increase. However, some soils show little or no increase in steady-state SOC stock with increasing C input levels suggesting that SOC can become saturated with respect to C input. We used long-term field experiment data to assess alternative hypotheses of soil carbon storage by three simple models: a linear model (no saturation), a one-pool whole-soil C saturation model, and a two-pool mixed model with C saturation of a single C pool, but not the whole soil. The one-pool C saturation model best fit the combined data from 14 sites, four individual sites were best-fit with the linear model, and no sites were best fit by the mixed model. These results indicate that existing agricultural field experiments generally have too small a range in C input levels to show saturation behavior, and verify the accepted linear relationship between soil C and C input used to model SOM dynamics. However, all sites combined and the site with the widest range in C input levels were best fit with the C-saturation model. Nevertheless, the same site produced distinct effective stabilization capacity curves rather than an absolute C saturation level. We conclude that the saturation of soil C does occur and therefore the greatest efficiency in soil C sequestration will be in soils…
Overview
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Verification
Claims the paper makes
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
In the citing paper
“However, because soils that are further from C saturation will accumulate C faster than soils near saturation, and because our estimated soil C sequestration rate is much greater than the 0.41 Mg C ha -1 yr -1 indicated by Conant et al. (2003), we expect continued sequestration, likely to diminish over time (Minasny et al., 2017;Stewart et al., 2007).”
From Impacts of soil carbon sequestration on life cycle greenhouse gas emissions in Midwestern USA beef finishing systems (2018) · cites this paper as Stewart et al., 2007
In the citing paper
“In the empirical dataset, the slower rate observed in later years may reflect a real trend, consistent with diminishing returns reported elsewhere (Stewart et al., 2007).”
From Impact of 10 years of adaptive multi-paddock grazing on soil carbon and beef's greenhouse gas footprint in the US Upper Midwest (2026) · cites this paper as Stewart et al., 2007
In the citing paper
“This 'sink saturation' is due to either a finite availability of mineral surfaces and other physico- chemical properties responsible for the persistence of C in soils, defining a maximum storage capacity, or to environmental constraints on C input stabilisation and decomposition rates leading to a new equilibrium value for SOC and defining an 'effective' storage capacity (Stewart et al.,”
From Carbon for soils, not soils for carbon (2023) · cites this paper as Stewart et al., 2007
In the citing paper
“Most critically, the concept of sink saturation suggests not only a limited storage capacity but also that the rate of SOC sequestration decreases as SOC approaches the maximum or effective storage capacity (Poulton et al., 2018; Stewart et al., 2007).”
From Carbon for soils, not soils for carbon (2023) · cites this paper as Stewart et al., 2007
Citations
Cites
Multimodel Inference: Understanding AIC and BIC in Model Selection
Burnham, K. P., & Anderson, D. R. (2004) · Sociological Methods & Research · doi:10.1177/0049124104268644 · Cited by 11,648
Stabilization mechanisms of soil organic matter: Implications for C-saturation of soils
Six, J., Conant, R. T., Paul, E. A., & Paustian, K. (2002) · Plant and Soil · doi:10.1023/a:1016125726789 · Cited by 4,633
Self-citationAnalysis of Factors Controlling Soil Organic Matter Levels in Great Plains Grasslands
Parton, W. J., Schimel, D., Cole, C. V., & Ojima, D. S. (1987) · Soil Science Society of America Journal · doi:10.2136/sssaj1987.03615995005100050015x · Cited by 3,763
Jenny, H. (1941) · Soil Science · doi:10.1097/00010694-194111000-00009 · Cited by 2,658
(2012) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/springerreference_76825 · Cited by 2,071
Dynamics of C, N, P and S in grassland soils: a model
Parton, W. J., Stewart, J. W., & Cole, C. V. (1988) · Biogeochemistry · doi:10.1007/bf02180320 · Cited by 1,483
Baldock, J., & Skjemstad, J. O. (2000) · Organic Geochemistry · doi:10.1016/s0146-6380(00)00049-8 · Cited by 1,464
The capacity of soils to preserve organic C and N by their association with clay and silt particles
Hassink, J. (1997) · Plant and Soil · doi:10.1023/a:1004213929699 · Cited by 1,429
Driven by nature: plant litter quality and decomposition
(1997) · Choice Reviews Online · doi:10.5860/choice.35-2094 · Cited by 961
The turnover of organic carbon and nitrogen in soil
Jenkinson, D. S. (1990) · Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences · doi:10.1098/rstb.1990.0177 · Cited by 958
Kullback-Leibler information as a basis for strong inference in ecological studies
Burnham, K. P., & Anderson, D. R. (2001) · Wildlife Research · doi:10.1071/wr99107 · Cited by 916
Agricultural soils as a sink to mitigate CO 2 emissions
Paustian, K. H., Andrén, O., Janzen, H. H., Lal, R., Smith, P., Tian, G., Tiessen, H., van Noordwijk, M., & Woomer, P. L. (1997) · Soil Use and Management · doi:10.1111/j.1475-2743.1997.tb00594.x · Cited by 876
Self-citationSoil Organic Matter in Temperate AgroecosystemsLong Term Experiments in North America
Paul, E. A. (1997) · Cited by 826
Kong, A. Y. Y., Six, J., Bryant, D. C., Denison, R. F., & van Kessel, C. (2005) · Soil Science Society of America Journal · doi:10.2136/sssaj2004.0215 · Cited by 736
Self-citationOgle, S. M., Breidt, F. J., & Paustian, K. H. (2005) · Biogeochemistry · doi:10.1007/s10533-004-0360-2 · Cited by 715
Self-citationManagement of Carbon Sequestration in Soil
Lal, R. (2019) · CRC Press eBooks · doi:10.1201/9781351074254 · Cited by 673
Modeling Soil Organic Matter in Organic‐Amended and Nitrogen‐Fertilized Long‐Term Plots
Paustian, K. H., Parton, W. J., & Persson, J. (1992) · Soil Science Society of America Journal · doi:10.2136/sssaj1992.03615995005600020023x · Cited by 615
Self-citationManagement Controls on Soil Carbon
Paustian, K. H., Collins, H. P., & Paul, E. A. (2019) · CRC Press eBooks · doi:10.1201/9780367811693-2 · Cited by 599
Self-citationTillage, Nitrogen, and Cropping System Effects on Soil Carbon Sequestration
Halvorson, A. D., Wienhold, B. J., & Black, A. L. (2002) · Soil Science Society of America Journal · doi:10.2136/sssaj2002.9060 · Cited by 576
Soil organic matter quality interpreted thermodynamically
Bosatta, E., & Ågren, G. I. (1999) · Soil Biology and Biochemistry · doi:10.1016/s0038-0717(99)00105-4 · Cited by 500
Driven by nature: Plant litter quality and decomposition 1997
Dighton, J. (1997) · Soil Biology and Biochemistry · doi:10.1016/s0038-0717(97)00071-0 · Cited by 465
A Model of the Physical Protection of Organic Matter in Soils
Hassink, J., & Whitmore, A. P. (1997) · Soil Science Society of America Journal · doi:10.2136/sssaj1997.03615995006100010020x · Cited by 422
Soil Biota: Management in Sustainable Farming Systems
Pankhurst, C. E., Doube, B. M., Gupta, V. V. S. R., & Grace, P. (1996) · Cited by 415
Long-term tillage effects on soil quality
Karlen, D. L., Wollenhaupt, N. C., Erbach, D. C., Berry, E. C., Swan, J. B., Eash, N. S., & Jordahl, J. L. (1994) · Soil and Tillage Research · doi:10.1016/0167-1987(94)00427-g · Cited by 344
Anderson, D. R., Burnham, K. P., & White, G. C. (1998) · Journal of Applied Statistics · doi:10.1080/02664769823250 · Cited by 311
Campbell, C. A., Biederbeck, V. O., Zentner, R. P., & Lafond, G. P. (1991) · Canadian Journal of Soil Science · doi:10.4141/cjss91-035 · Cited by 275
Cropping Intensity Enhances Soil Organic Carbon and Nitrogen in a No‐Till Agroecosystem
Sherrod, L. A., Peterson, G. A., Westfall, D. G., & Ahuja, L. R. (2003) · Soil Science Society of America Journal · doi:10.2136/sssaj2003.1533 · Cited by 196
Campbell, C. A., Zentner, R. P., Bowren, K. E., Townley-Smith, L., & Schnitzer, M. I. (1991) · Canadian Journal of Soil Science · doi:10.4141/cjss91-036 · Cited by 195
Huggins, D. R., Buyanovsky, G. A., Wagner, G. H., Brown, J. R., Darmody, R. G., Peck, T. R., Lesoing, G. W., Vanotti, M. B., & Bundy, L. G. (1998) · Soil and Tillage Research · doi:10.1016/s0167-1987(98)00108-1 · Cited by 189
Carbon cycling in cultivated land and its global significance
Buyanovsky, G. A., & Wagner, G. H. (1998) · Global Change Biology · doi:10.1046/j.1365-2486.1998.00130.x · Cited by 179
Campbell, C. A., Lafond, G. P., Zentner, R. P., & Biederbeck, V. O. (1991) · Soil Biology and Biochemistry · doi:10.1016/0038-0717(91)90007-7 · Cited by 156
Preservation of Plant Residues in Soils Differing in Unsaturated Protective Capacity
Hassink, J. (1996) · Soil Science Society of America Journal · doi:10.2136/sssaj1996.03615995006000020021x · Cited by 141
Carbon Dynamics in Corn‐Soybean Sequences as Estimated from Natural Carbon‐13 Abundance
Huggins, D. R., Clapp, C. E., Allmaras, R. R., Lamb, J. A., & Layese, M. F. (1998) · Soil Science Society of America Journal · doi:10.2136/sssaj1998.03615995006200010026x · Cited by 123
Continuous corn with moldboard tillage: Residue and fertility effects on soil carbon
Reicosky, D. C., Evans, S. D., Cambardella, C. A., Allmaras, R. R., Wilts, A. R., & Huggins, D. R. (2002) · Journal of Soil and Water Conservation · doi:10.1080/00224561.2002.12457458 · Cited by 113
Campbell, C. A., Biederbeck, V. O., McConkey, B. G., Curtin, D., & Zentner, R. P. (1998) · Soil Biology and Biochemistry · doi:10.1016/s0038-0717(97)00212-5 · Cited by 111
Nitrogen fate and transport in agricultural systems
Follett, R. F., & Delgado, J. A. (2002) · Journal of Soil and Water Conservation · doi:10.1080/00224561.2002.12457472 · Cited by 106
LINEAR ANALYSIS OF SOIL DECOMPOSITION: INSIGHTS FROM THE CENTURY MODEL
Bolker, B. M., Pacala, S. W., & Parton, W. J. (1998) · Ecological Applications · doi:10.1890/1051-0761(1998)008[0425:laosdi]2.0.co;2 · Cited by 103
Carbon Balance of the Breton Classical Plots over Half a Century
Izaurralde, R. C., McGill, W. B., Robertson, J. A., Juma, N. G., & Thurston, J. (2001) · Soil Science Society of America Journal · doi:10.2136/sssaj2001.652431x · Cited by 100
Peroxide oxidation of clay‐associated organic matter in a cultivation chronosequence
Plante, A. F., Chenu, C., Balabane, M., Mariotti, A. A., & Righi, D. (2004) · European Journal of Soil Science · doi:10.1111/j.1365-2389.2004.00626.x · Cited by 75
Self-citationCarbon storage in soils under continuous cereal grain cropping: N fertilizer and straw.
Solberg, E. D., Nyborg, M., Izairralde, R. C., Malhi, S. S., Jansen, H. H., Molina-Ayala, M., Lal, R., Kimble, J. M., Follett, R. F., & Stewart, B. A. (1998) · Cited by 55
Modeling litter quality effects on decompostion and soil organic matter dynamics
Paustian, K. H., Ågren, G. I., & Bosatta, E. (1997) · Cited by 18
Self-citation
Research works printed but not linked: 5
- Darmody RG, Peck TR (1997) Soil organic carbon changes through time at the University of Illinois Morrow Plots. In: Paul EA et al (eds) Soil organic matter in temperate agroecosystems: long-term experiments in North America. CRC Press, New York, pp 161–169
- Huggins DR, Fuchs DJ (1997) Long-term N management effects on corn yield a soil C of an Aquic Haplustoll in Minnesota. In: Paul EA et al (eds) Soil organic matter in temperate agroecosystems: long-term experiments in North America. CRC Press Inc., New York, pp 121–128
- IPCC Guidelines (2006) Vol. 4, Chapter 11, Table 11.2, p 11.17
- Nyborg M, Solberg ED, Malhi SS, Izaurralde RC (1995) Fertilizer N, crop residue, and tillage alter soil C and N content in a decade. In: Lal R et al (eds) Advances in soil science: soil management and Greenhouse Effect. CRC Press Inc., Boca Ration, FL, pp 93–100
- Vanotti MB, Bundy LG, Peterson AE (1997) Nitrogen fertilizer and legume-cereal rotation effects on soil productivity an organic matter dynamics in Wisconsin. In: Paul EA et al (eds) Soil organic matter in temperate agroecosystems: long-term experiments in North America. CRC Press, New York, pp 105–119
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Lavallee, J. M., Soong, J. L., & Cotrufo, M. F. (2020) · Global Change Biology · doi:10.1111/gcb.14859 · Cited by 2,477
Soil carbon storage informed by particulate and mineral-associated organic matter
Cotrufo, M. F., Ranalli, M. G., Haddix, M. L., Six, J., & Lugato, E. (2019) · Nature Geoscience · doi:10.1038/s41561-019-0484-6 · Cited by 1,901
Self-citationConant, R. T., Ryan, M. G., Ågren, G. I., Birge, H. E., Davidson, E. A., Eliasson, P. E., Evans, S. E., Frey, S. D., Giardina, C. P., Hopkins, F. M., et al. (2011) · Global Change Biology · doi:10.1111/j.1365-2486.2011.02496.x · Cited by 1,635
Self-citationConservation agriculture and smallholder farming in Africa : the heretics ’ view
Giller, K. E., Witter, E., Corbeels, M., & Tittonell, P. (2009) · Field Crops Research · doi:10.1016/j.fcr.2009.06.017 · Cited by 1,499
Effects of straw carbon input on carbon dynamics in agricultural soils: a meta‐analysis
Liu, C., Lu, M., Cui, J., Li, B., & Fang, C. (2014) · Global Change Biology · doi:10.1111/gcb.12517 · Cited by 1,164
Metadata
- Authors
- Stewart, C. E., Paustian, K., Conant, R. T., Plante, A. F., & Six, J.
- Affiliations
- Colorado State University (US)
- University of Pennsylvania (US)
- University of California, Davis (US)
- Corresponding author
- Stewart, Catherine E.
- Venue
- Biogeochemistry
- Published
- 2007-08-03
- Volume
- 86
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 19-31
- ISSN
- 0168-2563 (ISSN-L)
- 1573-515X
- OpenAlex
- W2044716830
- Cited by
- 911
- References
- 41
- Citations by year
- 2026: 85 · 2025: 91 · 2024: 86 · 2023: 89 · 2022: 59 · 2021: 66 · 2020: 64 · 2019: 38 · 2018: 55 · 2017: 48 · 2016: 25 · 2015: 32 · 2014: 43 · 2013: 39 · 2012: 25
- FWCI
- 26.14
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
- Locations
- Biogeochemistry (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Soil Science › Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Soil Science › Soil erosion and sediment transport
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Soil Science › Soil Geostatistics and Mapping
- Keywords
- soil carbon saturation, soil organic carbon, soil carbon sequestration, carbon input, carbon stabilization, long-term field experiment
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
