| Abstract: | The influence of the soil mineral phase on organic matter storage was studied in loess derived surface soils of Central Germany. The seven soils were developed to different genetic stages. The carbon content of the bulk soils ranged from 8.7 to 19.7 g kg—1. Clay mineralogy was confirmed to be constant, with illite contents > 80 %. Both, specific surface area (SSA, BET‐N2‐method) and cation exchange capacity (CEC) of bulk soils after carbon removal were better predictors of carbon content than clay content or dithionite‐extractable iron. SSA explained 55 % and CEC 54 % of the variation in carbon content. The carbon loadings of the soils were between 0.57 and 1.06 mg C m—2, and therefore in the ”︁monolayer equivalent” (ME) level. The increase in SSA after carbon removal (ΔSSA) was significantly and positively related to carbon content (r2 = 0.77). Together with CEC of carbon‐free samples, ΔSSA explained 90 % of the variation in carbon content. Clay (< 2 μm) and fine silt fractions (2—6.3 μm) contained 68—82 % of the bulk soil organic carbon. A significantly positive relationship between carbon content in the clay fraction and in the bulk soil was observed (r2 = 0.95). The carbon pools of the clay and fine silt fractions were characterized by differences in C/N ratio, δ13C ratio, and enrichment factors for carbon and nitrogen. Organic matter in clay fractions seems to be more altered by microbes than organic matter in fine silt fractions. The results imply that organic matter accumulates in the fractions of smallest size and highest surface area, apparently intimately associated with the mineral phase. The amount of cations adhering to the mineral surface and the size of a certain and specific part of the surface area (ΔSSA) are the mineral phase properties which affect the content of the organic carbon in loess derived arable surface soils in Central Germany most. There is no monolayer of organic matter on the soil surfaces even if carbon loadings are in the ME level. |
