Long-term nitrogen deposition disrupts carbon cycling and enhances plant-derived carbon sequestration in a temperate forest
Persistent URL
Author(s)
Yang, Biwei
Man, Meiling
Weng, Yuxuan
Bowden, Richard D.
Allegheny College
Wang, Jun-Jian
Simpson, Myrna J.
Date Issued
January 5, 2026
Abstract
Nitrogen (N) deposition alters carbon (C) dynamics in forests, but its long-term impact on soil C biogeochemistry remains unelucidated at the molecular-level. We collected soils after 27 consecutive years of N additions in a temperate forest and examined soil chemistry using molecular soil organic matter (SOM) compositional analysis to unravel mechanisms and impacts on soil biogeochemistry. N-addition increased soil C storage in the forest floor, where microbial stress increased and decomposition was suppressed, causing accumulation of aboveground plant inputs such as leaf litter and a shift toward less stable SOM. In the mineral soil, C storage did not change significantly, but decomposition of root and woody materials was reduced, and microbes exhibited stress. After nearly three decades, microbial stress persisted with a community shift toward fewer Gram-negative bacteria, which prefer labile C like cellulose. The rise in more labile C forms further supported accumulation of microbially preferred substrates. Overall, chronic N deposition thus impairs microbial decomposition and alters SOM composition, reducing C turnover and leading to accumulation of less persistent C forms that may be vulnerable to loss upon forest disturbance or environmental change. These findings emphasize the importance of integrating microbial and chemical composition in predicting long-term N deposition impacts on forest soil C sequestration and demonstrate the severe impacts on biogeochemical processes in forests.
Journal
Environmental Science: Advances
Citation
Yang, Biwei, Meiling Man, Yuxuan Weng, Richard D. Bowden, Jun-Jian Wang, and Myrna J. Simpson, "Long-Term Nitrogen Deposition Disrupts Carbon Cycling and Enhances Plant-Derived Carbon Sequestration in a Temperate Forest," Environmental Science: Advances (2026), doi:10.1039/D5VA00352K. http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/D5VA00352K.
Publisher
Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)
Version of Article
Version of Record
DOI
10.1039/d5va00352k
ISSN
2754-7000
Rights
© 2026 The Author(s). Published by the Royal Society of Chemistry
Type of Publication
Journal Article
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