The cuvettarians vs dunkers vs isotopians debate will be one to follow!

What’s it all mean? Lots of factors controls MAOM formation! That different factors control C & N stabilization to minerals - microbial synthesis for N; direct sorption for C – also means that efforts to increase soil C storage may not necessarily increase N retention.

We found 1) most variation in MAOM related to FeOx (60-68%), 2) bacterial diversity contributes to MAOM when low (but not high) melanin necromass is present, 3) low melanin forms MAOM more readily than high melanin necromass, & 4) necromass N forms 7x more MAOM than necromass C

We added 15N and 13C labeled necromass (high and low melanin) to soils with diff. mineralogies & microbial communities in a jar incubation. The soils were sourced from across southern Indiana and had iron oxide contents that differed by two orders of magnitude.

So what can we conclude? N resorption has consequences for plant economics & litter-soil-nutrient feedbacks. Given that root foraging is not the only way to acquire soil N, detecting AG-BG trait linkages in forests may require accounting for myco symbionts, tree neighborhoods and site fertility.

Trees in the garden that resorbed more N produced more roots indicating resorption patterns can cascade to affect litter quality & N availability. In mature stands, we couldn't detect resorption-root relationships despite a strong negative relationship between resorption and litter quality.

PawPaw patrol - amazing!

In other words, Fox News knows exactly what they’re doing..

Are those fruiting bodies coming out of your couch?