@article{fdi:010069859,
  title = {{C}ompound-specific 13{C} and 14{C} measurements improve the understanding of soil organic matter dynamics},
  author = {{M}endez {M}illan, {M}ercedes and {N}guyen {T}u, {T}.{T}. and {B}alesdent, {J}. and {D}erenne, {S}. and {D}errien, {D}. and {E}gasse, {C}. and {T}hongo {M}'{B}ou, {A}. and {Z}eller, {B}. and {H}att{\'e}, {C}.},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{C}ompound-specific isotopic analyses were used to assess the dynamics and origin of organic matter in soils across a 30 year chronosequence where native savanna ({C}4) had been replaced with eucalyptus ({C}3). {A}polar lipid fractions were recovered from plants and soils planted with {E}ucalyptus 0, 7.5, 17 and 30 years ago. {T}he molecular composition of lipids in plants and soils identified three major pentacyclic triterpene methyl esters ({PTME}s) specific to savanna, and three odd n-alkanes common to both vegetation types. {S}avanna-derived {PTME}s and δ13{C} remained at similar levels in soils after 30 years of eucalyptus growth. 14{C} content of {PTME}s under savanna was lower than that of bulk soil and displayed the presence of older (1,000s of years) {PTME}s in soils. {H}owever, the 14{C} content of soil {PTME}s under eucalyptus was higher than that of the soil {PTME}s under savanna. {T}his suggests both recent (10s of years) and "pre-bomb" mineralization of savanna-derived {PTME}s. {C}ompound-specific 13{C} analyses of soil n-alkanes showed a trend typical of a {C}3/{C}4 vegetation shift, with more depleted δ13{C} values with increasing time under {E}ucalyptus. 14{C} analyses of n-alkanes suggest that n-alkanes have high turnover rates in the first few years after land conversion, and n-alkane composition thereafter is dominated by eucalyptus inputs. {C}ompound-specific analyses reveal that lipids from past vegetations remained in soils. {C}ompound-specific analyses allow a more nuanced description of carbon turnover in soils, and may improve our mechanistic understanding of soil organic carbon dynamics.},
  keywords = {},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{B}iogeochemistry},
  volume = {118},
  numero = {1-3},
  pages = {205--223},
  ISSN = {0168-2563},
  year = {2014},
  DOI = {10.1007/s10533-013-9920-7},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010069859},
}