Dissolved Organic Matter Dynamics in Soil Ecosystems

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) represents a dynamic and reactive component of soil organic matter, comprising a diverse assemblage of low-molecular-weight compounds derived from plant litter, root exudates and microbial by-products. Although it constitutes only a small fraction of total soil organic carbon, DOM exerts a disproportionate influence on soil structure, nutrient availability, microbial activity and the transport of carbon and nutrients through the profile. Abiotic processes such as sorption to mineral surfaces and leaching interact with biotic transformations carried out by a complex soil microbiome, creating feedbacks that regulate the persistence and turnover of organic carbon. Environmental factors including soil texture, pH, temperature and land management practices further modulate the balance between the production, stabilisation and loss of DOM, with profound implications for ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration, water quality and agricultural productivity.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Recent studies have revealed that mineral weathering and microbial priming are tightly coupled in soils, with the dissolution of rock-derived nutrients synchronously enhancing the decomposition of native organic matter. Variations in weathering congruency not only control nutrient release but also influence the formation and strength of organo-mineral associations, thereby regulating the accessibility of DOM to microbial decomposers. By linking slow lithogenic cycles with rapid microbial turnover, this work provides a unified framework for understanding soil carbon dynamics across spatial and temporal scales.

Dissolved Organic Matter Dynamics in Soil Ecosystems publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in dissolved organic matter dynamics in soil ecosystems across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Dissolved Organic Matter (DOM): A portfolio of organic molecules soluble in soil water, central to nutrient cycling and carbon transport.

Priming effect: The alteration of native soil organic matter decomposition rates following the introduction of fresh organic substrates.

Chemodiversity: The extent and distribution of distinct chemical structures within a DOM pool.

Organo-mineral associations: Interactions between organic molecules and mineral surfaces that confer stability or sequestration.

Leaching: The mobilisation and downward movement of dissolved substances through the soil profile by percolating water.

References

1. Mineral weathering is linked to microbial priming in the critical zone. Nature Communications (2023).
2. Simulated erosion of A horizon influences the dissolved organic matter chemodiversity and carbon sequestration of B horizon in Mollisols. Soil Biology and Biochemistry (2025).
3. Processes that influence dissolved organic matter in the soil: a review. Scientia Agricola (2020).
4. The chemodiversity of paddy soil dissolved organic matter correlates with microbial community at continental scales. Microbiome (2018).
5. Leaching of dissolved organic carbon from mineral soils plays a significant role in the terrestrial carbon balance. Global Change Biology (2020).