Soil organic matter and the environment – new publication

Soil organic matter content and composition are fundamental properties that determine soil health and functionality. However, the relationship between these and the environment is not fully understood. A new study, published in the D1-ranked scientific journal 'CATENA', aimed to identify the factors that most influence soil organic matter stability, focusing on Hungary. The researchers from the ELTE, the Széchenyi István University, the University of Sopron, and several research centres of the HUN-REN network found that the mineral associated organic matter amount does not only depend on soil texture but also in the fine fraction varies over a wide range. The main drivers of this variability are the transformation of total soil organic matter (the proportion of aromatic components) and erosion. Land use determines the elemental composition of soil organic matter, while the degree of organic matter decomposition is mainly influenced by local microbiological conditions affected by climatic and soil properties. The research was led by Gergely Jakab. Several colleagues and previous or current PhD students of our department co-authored the paper including Anna Vancsik, Dóra Zacháry, Gabriella Darabos, Thulfiqar Al-Graiti, Ákos Bede-Fazekas, and Zoltán Szalai.