Soil organic matter (SOM) formation is one of the least understood steps of
the global carbon cycle. An example is uncertainty around the role of plan
t communities in regulating SOM formation and turnover. Here we took advant
age of the highly controlled conditions at the San Dimas lysimeter installa
tion to quantify the influence of oak and pine vegetation on SOM dynamics.
SOM turnover rates, estimated using total C and C-14 content of litter and
physically separable soil fractions, were faster under oak than under pine.
In contrast to the rapid turnover for the oak litter (<2 years), the delay
in litter incorporation into the mineral soil under pine was a controlling
factor of SOM fluxes. (C) 2001 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.