# A well-established fact: rapid mineralization of organic inputs is an important factor for soil carbon sequestration

Denis Angers, Dominique Arrouays, Rémi Cardinael, Claire Chenu, Marc Corbeels, Julien Demenois, Mark Farrell, Manuel Martin, Budiman Minasny, Sylvie Recous, et al.

<figure><img src="image_1.png" /></figure>

## To cite this version:

Denis Angers, Dominique Arrouays, Rémi Cardinael, Claire Chenu, Marc Corbeels, et al. A well-established fact: rapid mineralization of organic inputs is an important factor for soil carbon sequestration. European Journal of Soil Science, 2022, 10.1111/ejss.13242. http://hal.inrae.fr/hal-03655211

HAL Id: hal-03655211

https://hal.inrae.fr/hal-03655211

Submitted on 4 Jan 2024

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Distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
# A well-established fact: rapid mineralization of organic inputs is an important factor for soil carbon sequestration

Denis Angers, Dominique Arrouays, Rémi Cardinael, Claire Chenu, Marc Corbeels, Julien Demenois, Mark Farrell, Manuel Martin, Budiman Minasny, Sylvie Recous, et al.

<figure><img src="image_1.png" /></figure>

## To cite this version:

Denis Angers, Dominique Arrouays, Rémi Cardinael, Claire Chenu, Marc Corbeels, et al. A well-established fact: rapid mineralization of organic inputs is an important factor for soil carbon sequestration. European Journal of Soil Science, 2022, 10.1111/ejss.13242. hal-03655211

HAL Id: hal-03655211

https://hal.inrae.fr/hal-03655211v1

Submitted on 4 Jan 2024

HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access archive for the deposit and dissemination of scientific research documents, whether they are published or not. The documents may come from teaching and research institutions in France or abroad, or from public or private research centers.

L'archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, émanant des établissements d'enseignement et de recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires publics ou privés.

<figure><img src="image_2.png" /></figure>

Distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
# A well-established fact: Rapid mineralization of organic inputs is an important factor for soil carbon sequestration

Denis Angers<fnref n="1" />

Dominique Arrouays<fnref n="2" /> ID

Rémi Cardinael<fnref n="3" />,<fnref n="4" />,<fnref n="5" /> ID

Claire Chenu<fnref n="6" />

Marc Corbeels<fnref n="3" />,<fnref n="7" />

Julien Demenois<fnref n="3" />,<fnref n="8" />,<fnref n="9" />

Mark Farrell<fnref n="10" /> ID

Manuel Martin<fnref n="2" />

Budiman Minasny<fnref n="11" /> ID

Sylvie Recous<fnref n="12" /> ID

Johan Six<fnref n="13" />

## Correspondence

Dominique Arrouays, INRAE, InfoSol
45075, Orléans, France.

Email: dominique.arrouays@inrae.fr

## Abstract

We have read with interest an opinion paper recently published in the European Journal of Soil Science (Berthelin et al., 2022). This paper presents some interesting considerations, at least one of which is already well known to soil scientists working on soil organic carbon (SOC), that is, a large portion (80%-90%) of fresh carbon inputs to soil is subject to rapid mineralization. The short-term mineralization kinetics of organic inputs is well-known and accounted for in soil organic matter models. Thus, clearly, the long-term predictions based on these models do not overlook short-term mineralization. We point out that many agronomic practices can significantly contribute to SOC sequestration. If conducted responsibly whilst fully recognising the caveats, SOC sequestration can lead to a win-win situation where agriculture can both contribute to the mitigation of climate change and adapt to it, whilst at the

Comment on “Soil carbon sequestration for climate change mitigation: Mineralization kinetics of organic inputs as an overlooked limitation”

This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs License, which permits use and distribution in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited, the use is non-commercial and no modifications or adaptations are made.

© 2022 The Authors. *European Journal of Soil Science* published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Society of Soil Science.

<footnote n="1">¹Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and Université Laval, Québec, Canada</footnote>

<footnote n="2">²INRAE, InfoSol, Orléans, France</footnote>

<footnote n="3">³AIDA, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, Montpellier, France</footnote>

<footnote n="4">⁴CIRAD, UPR AIDA, Harare, Zimbabwe</footnote>

<footnote n="5">⁵Department of Plant Production Sciences and Technologies, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe</footnote>

<footnote n="6">⁶Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Thiverval Grignon, France</footnote>

<footnote n="7">⁷International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Duduville Campus, Nairobi, Kenya</footnote>

<footnote n="8">⁸CIRAD, UPR AIDA, Turrialba, Costa Rica</footnote>

<footnote n="9">⁹CATIE, Centro Agronómico Tropical de Investigación y Enseñanza, Turrialba, Costa Rica</footnote>

<footnote n="10">¹⁰CSIRO Agriculture & Food, Kaurna Country, Glen Osmond, South Australia, Australia</footnote>

<footnote n="11">¹¹School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia</footnote>

<footnote n="12">¹²Université de Reims Champagne Ardenne, INRAE, FARE, UMR A 614, Reims, France</footnote>

<footnote n="13">¹³Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland</footnote>
# A well-established fact: Rapid mineralization of organic inputs is an important factor for soil carbon sequestration

Denis Angers<fnref n="1" /> | Dominique Arrouays<fnref n="2" /> ID | Rémi Cardinael<fnref n="3" />,<fnref n="4" />,<fnref n="5" /> ID |

Claire Chenu<fnref n="6" /> | Marc Corbeels<fnref n="3" />,<fnref n="7" /> | Julien Demenois<fnref n="3" />,<fnref n="8" />,<fnref n="9" /> | Mark Farrell<fnref n="10" /> ID |

Manuel Martin<fnref n="2" /> | Budiman Minasny<fnref n="11" /> ID | Sylvie Recous<fnref n="12" /> ID | Johan Six<fnref n="13" />

**Correspondence**

Dominique Arrouays, INRAE, InfoSol
45075, Orléans, France.

Email: dominique.arrouays@inrae.fr

**Abstract**

We have read with interest an opinion paper recently published in the European Journal of Soil Science (Berthelin et al., 2022). This paper presents some interesting considerations, at least one of which is already well known to soil scientists working on soil organic carbon (SOC), that is, a large portion (80%-90%) of fresh carbon inputs to soil is subject to rapid mineralization. The short-term mineralization kinetics of organic inputs is well-known and accounted for in soil organic matter models. Thus, clearly, the long-term predictions based on these models do not overlook short-term mineralization. We point out that many agronomic practices can significantly contribute to SOC sequestration. If conducted responsibly whilst fully recognising the caveats, SOC sequestration can lead to a win-win situation where agriculture can both contribute to the mitigation of climate change and adapt to it, whilst at the

Comment on "Soil carbon sequestration for climate change mitigation: Mineralization kinetics of organic inputs as an overlooked limitation"

This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs License, which permits use and distribution in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited, the use is non-commercial and no modifications or adaptations are made.

© 2022 The Authors. *European Journal of Soil Science* published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Society of Soil Science.

<footnote n="1">¹Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and Université Laval, Québec, Canada</footnote>

<footnote n="2">²INRAE, InfoSol, Orléans, France</footnote>

<footnote n="3">³AIDA, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, Montpellier, France</footnote>

<footnote n="4">⁴CIRAD, UPR AIDA, Harare, Zimbabwe</footnote>

<footnote n="5">⁵Department of Plant Production Sciences and Technologies, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe</footnote>

<footnote n="6">⁶Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Thiverval Grignon, France</footnote>

<footnote n="7">⁷International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Duduville Campus, Nairobi, Kenya</footnote>

<footnote n="8">⁸CIRAD, UPR AIDA, Turrialba, Costa Rica</footnote>

<footnote n="9">⁹CATIE, Centro Agronómico Tropical de Investigación y Enseñanza, Turrialba, Costa Rica</footnote>

<footnote n="10">¹⁰CSIRO Agriculture & Food, Kaurna Country, Glen Osmond, South Australia, Australia</footnote>

<footnote n="11">¹¹School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia</footnote>

<footnote n="12">¹²Université de Reims Champagne Ardenne, INRAE, FARE, UMR A 614, Reims, France</footnote>

<footnote n="13">¹³Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland</footnote>
same time delivering other co-benefits such as reduced soil erosion and
enhanced biodiversity.

## Highlights

* Rapid mineralization of organic inputs is an important factor for soil carbon sequestration.

* Mineralization kinetics of organic inputs are well-known and accounted for in soil organic matter models.

* Many agronomic practices can contribute significantly to SOC sequestration.

* SOC sequestration can lead to a win-win situation where agriculture can both contribute to the mitigation of climate change and adapt to it.

## KEYWORDS

carbon sequestration, climate change, mineralization, soil

# 1 | INTRODUCTION

We have read with interest 'Soil carbon sequestration for climate change mitigation: Mineralization kinetics of organic inputs as an overlooked limitation' recently published in the European Journal of Soil Science (Berthelin et al., 2022). This paper presents some interesting considerations, at least one of which is already well known to soil scientists working on soil organic carbon (SOC), that is, a large portion (80%-90%) of fresh carbon inputs to soil is subject to rapid mineralization. Here, we argue that rapid mineralization of organic inputs is an important factor for soil carbon sequestration and that agro-nomic practices to increase SOC do exist.

# 2 | RAPID MINERALIZATION OF ORGANIC INPUTS IS NOT OVERLOOKED

In brief, after a short review, mainly citing papers that question or criticise the potential of soils to sequester CO₂ to mitigate climate change, Berthelin et al. (2022) claim that, for the 'very first time', they 'analyze in detail' the short-term mineralization kinetics of fresh organic inputs added to soils, which according to them 'is occasionally alluded to in the literature, but almost always subsumed in a broader modelling context'. However, the authors simply put on the table a fact that has been known for nearly a century, that is, all organic carbon (C) added to the soil is subject to mineralization and is not entirely stabilised or sequestered into the soil, just a small fraction of it is. Clearly, this is not a 'blind spot' or 'untold story' as the authors write. In fact, the

mineralization kinetics of organic inputs have been described and quantified as far back as the pioneer work of Hénin and Dupuis (1945). There are numerous long-term field experiments under various environments (e.g., Cardinael et al., 2022; Fujisaki et al., 2018; Kong et al., 2005; Thomsen & Christensen, 2004) and field-isotope studies (e.g., Aita et al., 1997; Voroney et al., 1989), which show that crop residues decompose quickly in soil and that conversion of organic C inputs to SOC is in the range of 10%. The short-term mineralization kinetics of organic inputs is well-known and accounted for in soil organic matter models. Decomposition of added organic material is typically represented by two or more organic matter pools. These are defined as rapidly and slowly decomposing plant fractions, with exponential decay rate constants varying between 35 and 0.6 $yr^{-1}$, depending on the pool and model. First-order kinetics is used, with C flows from those pools to microbial biomass and recalcitrant soil organic matter pools with concomitant production of CO₂ (Corbeels, 2001). The partitioning of C between microbial biosynthesis and mineralization is generally driven by the C-use efficiency ratio (e.g., Manzoni et al., 2018). Thus, clearly, the long-term predictions based on these models do not overlook short-term mineralization.

The authors also point out that 'perpetually hungry microorganisms' will lead to an inexorable release of CO₂ to the atmosphere. This is, of course, absolutely true and is actually recognised as a fundamental process of SOC stabilisation. Microorganisms have a high turnover rate in soil and generate large amounts of organic molecules and necromass that can contribute to the stable SOC fraction (e.g. Liang et al., 2019; Six et al., 2006). This is now a well-established pathway of SOC formation and
same time delivering other co-benefits such as reduced soil erosion and
enhanced biodiversity.

**Highlights**

* Rapid mineralization of organic inputs is an important factor for soil carbon sequestration.

* Mineralization kinetics of organic inputs are well-known and accounted for in soil organic matter models.

* Many agronomic practices can contribute significantly to SOC sequestration.

* SOC sequestration can lead to a win-win situation where agriculture can both contribute to the mitigation of climate change and adapt to it.

**KEYWORDS**

carbon sequestration, climate change, mineralization, soil

# 1 | INTRODUCTION

We have read with interest 'Soil carbon sequestration for climate change mitigation: Mineralization kinetics of organic inputs as an overlooked limitation' recently published in the European Journal of Soil Science (Berthelin et al., 2022). This paper presents some interesting considerations, at least one of which is already well known to soil scientists working on soil organic carbon (SOC), that is, a large portion (80%-90%) of fresh carbon inputs to soil is subject to rapid mineralization. Here, we argue that rapid mineralization of organic inputs is an important factor for soil carbon sequestration and that agro-nomic practices to increase SOC do exist.

# 2 | RAPID MINERALIZATION OF ORGANIC INPUTS IS NOT OVERLOOKED

In brief, after a short review, mainly citing papers that question or criticise the potential of soils to sequester CO₂ to mitigate climate change, Berthelin et al. (2022) claim that, for the ‘very first time’, they ‘analyze in detail’ the short-term mineralization kinetics of fresh organic inputs added to soils, which according to them ‘is occasionally alluded to in the literature, but almost always subsumed in a broader modelling context’. However, the authors simply put on the table a fact that has been known for nearly a century, that is, all organic carbon (C) added to the soil is subject to mineralization and is not entirely stabilised or sequestered into the soil, just a small fraction of it is. Clearly, this is not a ‘blind spot’ or ‘untold story’ as the authors write. In fact, the

mineralization kinetics of organic inputs have been described and quantified as far back as the pioneer work of Hénin and Dupuis (1945). There are numerous long-term field experiments under various environments (e.g., Cardinael et al., 2022; Fujisaki et al., 2018; Kong et al., 2005; Thomsen & Christensen, 2004) and field-isotope studies (e.g., Aita et al., 1997; Voroney et al., 1989), which show that crop residues decompose quickly in soil and that conversion of organic C inputs to SOC is in the range of 10%. The short-term mineralization kinetics of organic inputs is well-known and accounted for in soil organic matter models. Decomposition of added organic material is typically represented by two or more organic matter pools. These are defined as rapidly and slowly decomposing plant fractions, with exponential decay rate constants varying between 35 and 0.6 $yr^{-1}$, depending on the pool and model. First-order kinetics is used, with C flows from those pools to microbial biomass and recalcitrant soil organic matter pools with concomitant production of CO₂ (Corbeels, 2001). The partitioning of C between microbial biosynthesis and mineralization is generally driven by the C-use efficiency ratio (e.g., Manzoni et al., 2018). Thus, clearly, the long-term predictions based on these models do not overlook short-term mineralization.

The authors also point out that ‘perpetually hungry microorganisms’ will lead to an inexorable release of CO₂ to the atmosphere. This is, of course, absolutely true and is actually recognised as a fundamental process of SOC stabilisation. Microorganisms have a high turnover rate in soil and generate large amounts of organic molecules and necromass that can contribute to the stable SOC fraction (e.g. Liang et al., 2019; Six et al., 2006). This is now a well-established pathway of SOC formation and
stabilisation (e.g., Cotrufo et al., 2013; Kallenbach et al., 2016; Sokol et al., 2022).

## 3 | AGRONOMIC PRACTICES TO INCREASE SOIL ORGANIC CARBON

Berthelin et al. (2022) emphasise the role that organic inputs can play in storing additional SOC. The impact of crop residue retention on SOC is generally positive but indeed variable depending on soil, climate and agro-nomic contexts (e.g., review by Bolinder et al., 2020). Many other agronomic practices (e.g., reviews by Paustian et al., 2016, Chenu et al., 2019) can significantly contribute to SOC sequestration. For instance, a global meta-analysis showed that cover crops increased SOC storage by an average of 0.32 Mg C ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ (Poeplau & Don, 2015). This is roughly equivalent to 0.6% per year for a soil initially at 50 Mg C ha⁻¹ until a new equilibrium is reached within a few decades. There are also examples showing that combining cover crops and no-tillage, without exogenous organic inputs, can result in even much larger SOC sequestration rates, for example, in Southern Brazil (Veloso et al., 2018) or in France (Autret et al., 2016). Other practices or systems that can improve SOC levels include agroforestry systems (Cardinael et al., 2018; Corbeels et al., 2019; Mayer et al., 2022), the addition of available exogenous organic matter that would otherwise not be applied to soil (Bruni et al., 2022; Maillard & Angers, 2014), and finally, the removal of soil constraints that result in increased crop productivity and thus C inputs from the crop itself, including roots (Emde et al., 2021; Ladha et al., 2011). Obviously, the impact of these management practices on other greenhouse gas emissions (particularly N₂O) has to be carefully accounted for.

Implementing SOC sequestering practices at a scale large enough that significant atmospheric CO₂ removals are achieved can be challenging but is possible. An example is provided in the semi-arid Canadian Prairies where the elimination of summer fallow and the implementation of no-till practices result in significant SOC sequestration (Liang et al., 2020; VandenBygaart et al., 2008). Their combined implementation at a large scale (tens of millions of hectares) over the past several decades has resulted in large quantities of additional C stored in soils. For example, for the year 2018, the increase in no-till and the decrease in summer fallow resulted in approx. 12 Mt CO₂eq removals in soils (Environment and Climate Change Canada, 2021). This is significant relative to approx. 20 Mt CO₂eq emissions of N₂O from soils (application of inorganic and inorganic fertilisers, and crop residue decomposition) during the same year (Environment

and Climate Change Canada, 2021). Another example of large-scale C sequestration is in China (Zhao et al., 2018).

We fully agree with Berthelin et al. (2022) when they write: ‘it is not reasonable to ask of soil carbon sequestration to compensate all of the greenhouse gas emissions of other anthropogenic sectors’ and ‘one should also ensure that soils will be sufficiently resilient to adapt to a rapidly changing climate in the near future, and still be able to fulfill their essential functions, on which humanity depends crucially’. Yet, we think it is important to add here that increasing SOC and enhancing resilience to climate change is crucial to minimise the negative feedback effect of climate change on net primary production and on resulting C inputs to soils (IPCC, 2019; Lal, 2016). This is especially the case for the most degraded soils of the planet or soils that are ‘at-risk’ (e.g., Mediterranean soils, arid soils, and several soils in sub-Saharan Africa) for which urgent actions need to be taken to ensure food security (IPCC, 2019). These degraded soils are also plausibly the ones where appropriate interventions bring the most SOC gains, with steep increments from low initial levels.

## 4 | CONCLUSIONS

Finally, although we also agree that policymakers should focus on other possible avenues to halt climate change, like transitioning promptly to renewable forms of energy, it is unreasonable to suggest that SOC sequestration in soils to mitigate climate change is off the table. The great majority of papers about the potential of SOC sequestration do not consider it as a ‘silver bullet’, which will alone solve the current climate crisis. Fossil fuels are the main source of greenhouse gases and climate change. The absolute priority should be to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from all sectors, including agriculture, and that includes preventing further losses from already C-rich soils. Equally important is to restore the SOC in our croplands. Even in a decarbonized world, some residual emissions will remain, and negative emissions technologies to remove CO₂ from the atmosphere will be needed to reach net-zero emissions by 2050 to meet the goal set in the Paris Agreement (Minx et al., 2018). As with many other land-based solutions, SOC can contribute to the partial and temporary mitigation of anthropogenic emissions (IPCC, 2019), and all practical possibilities to partially slow down the effects of climate change should be considered. If conducted responsibly whilst fully recognising the caveats, SOC sequestration can lead to a win-win situation where agriculture can both contribute to the mitigation of climate change and adapt to it, whilst at the same time delivering other co-benefits such as reduced
stabilisation (e.g., Cotrufo et al., 2013; Kallenbach et al., 2016; Sokol et al., 2022).

## 3 | AGRONOMIC PRACTICES TO INCREASE SOIL ORGANIC CARBON

Berthelin et al. (2022) emphasise the role that organic inputs can play in storing additional SOC. The impact of crop residue retention on SOC is generally positive but indeed variable depending on soil, climate and agro-nomic contexts (e.g., review by Bolinder et al., 2020). Many other agronomic practices (e.g., reviews by Paustian et al., 2016, Chenu et al., 2019) can significantly contribute to SOC sequestration. For instance, a global meta-analysis showed that cover crops increased SOC storage by an average of 0.32 Mg C ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ (Poeplau & Don, 2015). This is roughly equivalent to 0.6% per year for a soil initially at 50 Mg C ha⁻¹ until a new equilibrium is reached within a few decades. There are also examples showing that combining cover crops and no-tillage, without exogenous organic inputs, can result in even much larger SOC sequestration rates, for example, in Southern Brazil (Veloso et al., 2018) or in France (Autret et al., 2016). Other practices or systems that can improve SOC levels include agroforestry systems (Cardinael et al., 2018; Corbeels et al., 2019; Mayer et al., 2022), the addition of available exogenous organic matter that would otherwise not be applied to soil (Bruni et al., 2022; Maillard & Angers, 2014), and finally, the removal of soil constraints that result in increased crop productivity and thus C inputs from the crop itself, including roots (Emde et al., 2021; Ladha et al., 2011). Obviously, the impact of these management practices on other greenhouse gas emissions (particularly N₂O) has to be carefully accounted for.

Implementing SOC sequestering practices at a scale large enough that significant atmospheric CO₂ removals are achieved can be challenging but is possible. An example is provided in the semi-arid Canadian Prairies where the elimination of summer fallow and the implementation of no-till practices result in significant SOC sequestration (Liang et al., 2020; VandenBygaart et al., 2008). Their combined implementation at a large scale (tens of millions of hectares) over the past several decades has resulted in large quantities of additional C stored in soils. For example, for the year 2018, the increase in no-till and the decrease in summer fallow resulted in approx. 12 Mt CO₂eq removals in soils (Environment and Climate Change Canada, 2021). This is significant relative to approx. 20 Mt CO₂eq emissions of N₂O from soils (application of inorganic and inorganic fertilisers, and crop residue decomposition) during the same year (Environment

and Climate Change Canada, 2021). Another example of large-scale C sequestration is in China (Zhao et al., 2018).

We fully agree with Berthelin et al. (2022) when they write: ‘it is not reasonable to ask of soil carbon sequestration to compensate all of the greenhouse gas emissions of other anthropogenic sectors’ and ‘one should also ensure that soils will be sufficiently resilient to adapt to a rapidly changing climate in the near future, and still be able to fulfill their essential functions, on which humanity depends crucially’. Yet, we think it is important to add here that increasing SOC and enhancing resilience to climate change is crucial to minimise the negative feedback effect of climate change on net primary production and on resulting C inputs to soils (IPCC, 2019; Lal, 2016). This is especially the case for the most degraded soils of the planet or soils that are ‘at-risk’ (e.g., Mediterranean soils, arid soils, and several soils in sub-Saharan Africa) for which urgent actions need to be taken to ensure food security (IPCC, 2019). These degraded soils are also plausibly the ones where appropriate interventions bring the most SOC gains, with steep increments from low initial levels.

## 4 | CONCLUSIONS

Finally, although we also agree that policymakers should focus on other possible avenues to halt climate change, like transitioning promptly to renewable forms of energy, it is unreasonable to suggest that SOC sequestration in soils to mitigate climate change is off the table. The great majority of papers about the potential of SOC sequestration do not consider it as a ‘silver bullet’, which will alone solve the current climate crisis. Fossil fuels are the main source of greenhouse gases and climate change. The absolute priority should be to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from all sectors, including agriculture, and that includes preventing further losses from already C-rich soils. Equally important is to restore the SOC in our croplands. Even in a decarbonized world, some residual emissions will remain, and negative emissions technologies to remove CO₂ from the atmosphere will be needed to reach net-zero emissions by 2050 to meet the goal set in the Paris Agreement (Minx et al., 2018). As with many other land-based solutions, SOC can contribute to the partial and temporary mitigation of anthropogenic emissions (IPCC, 2019), and all practical possibilities to partially slow down the effects of climate change should be considered. If conducted responsibly whilst fully recognising the caveats, SOC sequestration can lead to a win-win situation where agriculture can both contribute to the mitigation of climate change and adapt to it, whilst at the same time delivering other co-benefits such as reduced
soil erosion and enhanced biodiversity. We should not miss this opportunity.

## ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We thank our colleagues Berthelin et al. (2022) for fostering this discussion. Dominique Arrouays and Budiman Minasny are members and Manuel P. Martin is the collaborator of the GLADSOILMAP research consortium supported by LE STUDIUM Institute for Advanced Research Studies, France. Claire Chenu, Dominique Arrouays and Manuel Martin acknowledge the support from H2020 EJP SOIL (Grant Agreement no. 86269).

## CONFLICT OF INTEREST

Mark Farrell is a Deputy Editor of the European Journal of Soil Science. He played no part in the handling or review of this Opinion.

## DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT

Data sharing is not applicable to this article as no new data were created or analyzed in this study.

## ORCID

Dominique Arrouays https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6878-6498

Rémi Cardinael https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9924-3269

Mark Farrell https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4562-2738

Budiman Minasny https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1182-2371

Sylvie Recous https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4845-7811

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Chenu, C., Angers, D. A., Barré, P., Derrien, D., Arrouays, D., & Balesdent, J. (2019). Increasing organic stocks in agricultural soils: Knowledge gaps and potential innovations. *Soil and Tillage Research*, *188*, 40-51. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2018.04.011

Corbeels, M. (2001). Plant litter and decomposition: General concepts and model approaches. In M. U. F. Kirschbaum & R. Mueller (Eds.), *Net ecosystem exchange. Workshop proceedings. CRC for Greenhouse Accounting*.

Corbeels, M., Cardinael, R., Naudin, K., Guibert, H., & Torquebiau, E. (2019). The 4 per 1000 goal and soil carbon storage under agroforestry and conservation agriculture systems in sub-Saharan Africa. *Soil and Tillage Research*, *188*, 16-26. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2018.02.015

Cotrufo, M. F., Wallenstein, M. D., Boot, C. M., Denef, K., & Paul, E. (2013). The microbial efficiency-matrix stabilization (MEMS) framework integrates plant litter decomposition with soil organic matter stabilization: Do labile plant inputs form stable soil organic matter? *Global Change Biology*, *19*, 988-995.

Emde, D., Hannam, K., Most, I., Nelson, L., & Jones, M. (2021). Soil organic carbon in irrigated agricultural systems: A meta-analysis. *Global Change Biology*, *27*, 3898-3910. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.15680

Environment and Climate Change Canada. (2021). National inventory report 1990-2019: greenhouse gas sources and sinks in Canada. https://publications.gc.ca/site/eng/9.506002/publication.html. Accessed March 11, 2022.

Fujisaki, K., Chevallier, T., Chapuis-Lardy, L., Albrecht, A., Razafimbelo, T., Masse, D., Ndour, Y. B., & Chotte, J.-L. (2018). Soil carbon stock changes in tropical croplands are mainly driven by carbon inputs: A synthesis. *Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment*, *259*, 147-158. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2017.12.008

Hénin, S., & Dupuis, M. (1945). Essais de bilan de la matière organique du sol. *Annales Agronomiques*, *15*, 17-29.

IPCC. (2019). Climate change and land: An IPCC special report on climate change, desertification, land degradation, sustainable land management, food security, and greenhouse gas fluxes in terrestrial ecosystems P. R. Shukla, J. Skea, E. C. Buendia, V. Masson-Delmotte, H.-O. Pörtner, D. C. Roberts, P. Zhai, R. Slade, S. Connors, R. van Diemen, M. Ferrat, E. Haughey, S. Luz, S. Neogi, M. Pathak, J. Petzold, J. P. Pereira, P. Vyas, E. Huntley, et al.

Kallenbach, C. M., Frey, D. S., & Grandy, A. S. (2016). Direct evidence for microbial-derived soil organic matter formation and
soil erosion and enhanced biodiversity. We should not miss this opportunity.

## ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We thank our colleagues Berthelin et al. (2022) for fostering this discussion. Dominique Arrouays and Budiman Minasny are members and Manuel P. Martin is the collaborator of the GLADSOILMAP research consortium supported by LE STUDIUM Institute for Advanced Research Studies, France. Claire Chenu, Dominique Arrouays and Manuel Martin acknowledge the support from H2020 EJP SOIL (Grant Agreement no. 86269).

## CONFLICT OF INTEREST

Mark Farrell is a Deputy Editor of the European Journal of Soil Science. He played no part in the handling or review of this Opinion.

## DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT

Data sharing is not applicable to this article as no new data were created or analyzed in this study.

## ORCID

Dominique Arrouays https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6878-6498

Rémi Cardinael https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9924-3269

Mark Farrell https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4562-2738

Budiman Minasny https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1182-2371

Sylvie Recous https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4845-7811

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Liang, C., Amelung, W., Lehmann, J., & Kästner, M. (2019). Quantitative assessment of microbial necromass contribution to soil organic matter. *Global Change Biology*, 25, 3578–3590. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.14781

Maillard, É., & Angers, D. A. (2014). Animal manure application and soil organic carbon stocks: A meta-analysis. *Global Change Biology*, 20, 666–679.

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Mayer, S., Wiesmeier, M., Sakamoto, E., Hübner, R., Cardinael, R., Kühnel, A., & Kögel-Knabner, I. (2022). Soil organic carbon sequestration in temperate agroforestry systems – A meta-analysis. *Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment*, 323, 107689. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2021.107689

Minx, J. C., Lamb, W. F., Callaghan, M. W., Fuss, S., Hilaire, J., Creutzig, F., Amann, T., Beringer, T., de Oliveira Garcia, W., Hartmann, J., & Khanna, T. (2018). Negative emissions—Part 1: Research landscape and synthesis. *Environmental Research Letters*, 13(6), 063001.

Paustian, K., Lehmann, J., Ogle, S., Reay, D., Robertson, G. P., & Smith, P. (2016). Climate-smart soils. *Nature*, 532, 49–57. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature17174

Poeplau, C., & Don, A. (2015). Carbon sequestration in agricultural soils via cultivation of cover crops–a meta-analysis. *Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment*, 200, 33–41.

Six, J., Frey, S. D., Thiet, R. K., & Batten, K. M. (2006). Bacterial and fungal contributions to C-sequestration in agroecosystems. *Soil Science Society of America Journal*, 70, 555–569.

Sokol, N. W., Slessarev, E., Marschmann, G. L., Nicolas, A., Blazewicz, S. J., Brodie, E. L., Firestone, M. K., Foley, M. M., Hestrin, R., Hungate, B. A., Koch, B. J., Stone, B. W., Sullivan, M. B., Zablocki, O., LLNL Soil Microbiome Consortium, & Pett-Ridge, J. (2022). Life and death in the soil microbiome: How ecological processes influence biogeochemistry. *Nature Reviews. Microbiology*. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41579-022-00695-z

Thomsen, I. K., & Christensen, B. T. (2004). Yields of wheat and soil carbon and nitrogen contents following long-term incorporation of barley straw and ryegrass catch crops. *Soil Use and Management*, 20, 432–438.

VandenBygaart, A. J., McConkey, B. G., Angers, D. A., Smith, W. S., de Gooijer, H., Bentham, M., & Martin, T. (2008). Soil carbon change factors for the Canadian agriculture national greenhouse gas inventory. *Canadian Journal of Soil Science*, 88, 671–680.

Veloso, M. G., Angers, D. A., Tiecher, T., Giacomini, S., Dieckow, J., & Bayer, C. (2018). High carbon storage in a previously degraded subtropical soil under no-tillage with legume cover crops. *Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment*, 268, 15–23. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2018.08.024

Voroney, R. P., Paul, E. A., & Anderson, D. W. (1989). Decomposition of wheat straw and stabilization of microbial products. *Canadian Journal of Soil Science*, 69, 63–77.

Zhao, Y. C., Wang, M. Y., Hu, S. J., Zhang, X. D., Ouyang, Z., Zhang, G. L., Huang, B., Zhao, S. W., Wu, J. S., Xie, D. T., Zhu, B., Yu, D. S., Pan, X. Z., Xu, S. X., & Shi, X. Z. (2018). Economics- and policy-driven organic carbon input enhancement dominates soil organic carbon accumulation in Chinese croplands. *Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America*, 115, 4045–4050.

**How to cite this article:** Angers, D., Arrouays, D., Cardinael, R., Chenu, C., Corbeels, M., Demenois, J., Farrell, M., Martin, M., Minasny, B., Recous, S., & Six, J. (2022). A well-established fact: Rapid mineralization of organic inputs is an important factor for soil carbon sequestration. *European Journal of Soil Science*, 73(3), e13242. https://doi.org/10.1111/ejss.13242
its ecophysiological controls. *Nature Communications*, 7, 13630.
https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms13630

Kong, A. Y. Y., Six, J., Bryant, D. C., Denison, R. F., & Van Kessel, C. (2005). The relationship between carbon input, aggregation, and soil organic carbon stabilization in sustainable cropping systems. *Soil Science Society of America Journal*, 69, 1078–1085.

Ladha, J. K., Reddy, C. K., Padre, A. T., & van Kessel, C. (2011). Role of nitrogen fertilization in sustaining organic matter in cultivated soils. *Journal of Environmental Quality*, 40, 1756–1766. https://doi.org/10.2134/jeq2011.0064

Lal, R. (2016). Beyond COP21: potential and challenges of the “4 per thousand” initiative. *Journal of Soil and Water Conservation*, 71, 20A–25A.

Liang, B. C., VandenBygaart, A. J., MacDonald, J. D., Cerkowniak, D., McConkey, B. G., Desjardins, R. L., & Angers, D. A. (2020). Revisiting no-till's impact on soil organic carbon storage in Canada. *Soil and Tillage Research*, 198, 104529. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2019.104529

Liang, C., Amelung, W., Lehmann, J., & Kästner, M. (2019). Quantitative assessment of microbial necromass contribution to soil organic matter. *Global Change Biology*, 25, 3578–3590. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.14781

Maillard, É., & Angers, D. A. (2014). Animal manure application and soil organic carbon stocks: A meta-analysis. *Global Change Biology*, 20, 666–679.

Manzoni, S., Čapek, P., Porada, P., Thurner, M., Winterdah, M., Beer, C., Brüchert, V., Frouz, J., Herrmann, A. M., Lindahl, B. D., Lyon, S. W., Šantrůčková, A., Vico, G., & Way, D. (2018). Reviews and syntheses: Carbon use efficiency from organisms to ecosystems – Definitions, theories, and empirical evidence. *Biogeosciences*, 15, 5929–5949.

Mayer, S., Wiesmeier, M., Sakamoto, E., Hübner, R., Cardinael, R., Kühnel, A., & Kögel-Knabner, I. (2022). Soil organic carbon sequestration in temperate agroforestry systems – A meta-analysis. *Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment*, 323, 107689. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2021.107689

Minx, J. C., Lamb, W. F., Callaghan, M. W., Fuss, S., Hilaire, J., Creutzig, F., Amann, T., Beringer, T., de Oliveira Garcia, W., Hartmann, J., & Khanna, T. (2018). Negative emissions—Part 1: Research landscape and synthesis. *Environmental Research Letters*, 13(6), 063001.

Paustian, K., Lehmann, J., Ogle, S., Reay, D., Robertson, G. P., & Smith, P. (2016). Climate-smart soils. *Nature*, 532, 49–57. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature17174

Poeplau, C., & Don, A. (2015). Carbon sequestration in agricultural soils via cultivation of cover crops–a meta-analysis. *Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment*, 200, 33–41.

Six, J., Frey, S. D., Thiet, R. K., & Batten, K. M. (2006). Bacterial and fungal contributions to C-sequestration in agroecosystems. *Soil Science Society of America Journal*, 70, 555–569.

Sokol, N. W., Slessarev, E., Marschmann, G. L., Nicolas, A., Blazewicz, S. J., Brodie, E. L., Firestone, M. K., Foley, M. M., Hestrin, R., Hungate, B. A., Koch, B. J., Stone, B. W., Sullivan, M. B., Zablocki, O., LLNL Soil Microbiome Consortium, & Pett-Ridge, J. (2022). Life and death in the soil microbiome: How ecological processes influence biogeochemistry. *Nature Reviews. Microbiology*. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41579-022-00695-z

Thomsen, I. K., & Christensen, B. T. (2004). Yields of wheat and soil carbon and nitrogen contents following long-term incorporation of barley straw and ryegrass catch crops. *Soil Use and Management*, 20, 432–438.

VandenBygaart, A. J., McConkey, B. G., Angers, D. A., Smith, W. S., de Gooijer, H., Bentham, M., & Martin, T. (2008). Soil carbon change factors for the Canadian agriculture national greenhouse gas inventory. *Canadian Journal of Soil Science*, 88, 671–680.

Veloso, M. G., Angers, D. A., Tiecher, T., Giacomini, S., Dieckow, J., & Bayer, C. (2018). High carbon storage in a previously degraded subtropical soil under no-tillage with legume cover crops. *Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment*, 268, 15–23. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2018.08.024

Voroney, R. P., Paul, E. A., & Anderson, D. W. (1989). Decomposition of wheat straw and stabilization of microbial products. *Canadian Journal of Soil Science*, 69, 63–77.

Zhao, Y. C., Wang, M. Y., Hu, S. J., Zhang, X. D., Ouyang, Z., Zhang, G. L., Huang, B., Zhao, S. W., Wu, J. S., Xie, D. T., Zhu, B., Yu, D. S., Pan, X. Z., Xu, S. X., & Shi, X. Z. (2018). Economics- and policy-driven organic carbon input enhancement dominates soil organic carbon accumulation in Chinese croplands. *Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America*, 115, 4045–4050.

**How to cite this article:** Angers, D., Arrouays, D., Cardinael, R., Chenu, C., Corbeels, M., Demenois, J., Farrell, M., Martin, M., Minasny, B., Recous, S., & Six, J. (2022). A well-established fact: Rapid mineralization of organic inputs is an important factor for soil carbon sequestration. *European Journal of Soil Science*, 73(3), e13242. https://doi.org/10.1111/ejss.13242