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Land
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Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Cycling: From Micro Processes to Whole...
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Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Cycling: From Micro Processes to Whole Ecosystems

A special issue of Land (ISSN 2073-445X). This special issue belongs to the section "Land, Soil and Water".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2026 | Viewed by 1040

Editors

Dr. Junzhu Pang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
Interests: carbon cycling; nitrogen cycling; soil; forest ecosystem; agriculture ecosystem
Dr. Yang Cao

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
Interests: soil nutrient; plantation management; restoration ecology; tree ring
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Kaiyan Zhai

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Sevilla (IRNAS), CSIC, 41012 Seville, Spain
Interests: soil

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Research on soil carbon and nitrogen cycling in relation to global climate and environmental change has become a hotspot in interdisciplinary studies spanning soil science, atmospheric science, earth sciences, and beyond. Only through a profound understanding of carbon and nitrogen cycling processes across different spatial scales—from microenvironments to ecosystems—can we provide the most direct evidence and insights for mitigating climate change.

This Special Issue will feature the latest research advances on the microbial driving mechanisms of carbon and nitrogen cycling in different ecosystems and the related processes at the ecosystem scale, providing new insights and references for achieving climate-smart soils aimed at mitigating global change.

This Special Issue will welcome manuscripts that link the following themes:

  • Characteristics of carbon and nitrogen biogeochemical cycles in typical terrestrial ecosystems.
  • Intensity of carbon and nitrogen trace gas emissions and potential for carbon sequestration and emission reduction.
  • Analysis of response patterns and microbial driving mechanisms of soil carbon and nitrogen trace gases to climate change factors.
  • Biological driving mechanisms and stoichiometry of soil carbon and nitrogen cycling processes.
  • Biological mechanisms of greenhouse gas production and transformation in carbon and nitrogen cycles and their response to global change.
  • Biological interaction mechanisms of soil carbon and nitrogen coupling.
  • Biological models of soil carbon and nitrogen biogeochemical cycling processes.

We look forward to receiving your original research articles and reviews.

Dr. Junzhu Pang
Dr. Yang Cao
Dr. Kaiyan Zhai
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Land is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • carbon cycling
  • nitrogen cycling
  • soil
  • microbial driving mechanisms
  • ecosystem

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

18 pages, 14106 KB  
Article
Implications of Litterfall Dynamics and Stoichiometry for Nutrient Cycling in Subtropical Acid Rain Regions
by Bo Lin, Yongxia Feng, Xiuya Ni, Jing Chen and Zhan Chen
Land 2026, 15(6), 949; https://doi.org/10.3390/land15060949 - 31 May 2026
Viewed by 293
Abstract
Selecting appropriate tree species is crucial for mitigating soil acidification and restoring biogeochemical cycles in subtropical acid rain regions. The objective of this study was to elucidate the influence of species selection on litter nutrient dynamics and its implications for soil carbon (C) [...] Read more.
Selecting appropriate tree species is crucial for mitigating soil acidification and restoring biogeochemical cycles in subtropical acid rain regions. The objective of this study was to elucidate the influence of species selection on litter nutrient dynamics and its implications for soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycling. To achieve this, three forest types were examined at the Tieshanping Forest Farm (Chongqing, China). Twelve plots were established, including pure stands of Pinus massoniana Lamb. or Cinnamomum camphora (Linn) Presl, and mixed stands of these species. Litterfall was collected monthly (December 2020–November 2021) to determine pH, C, N, phosphorus, potassium, lignin, and cellulose contents, alongside potential nutrient returns and stoichiometric ratios. Results indicated that while total annual litterfall production did not differ significantly among the forest types, their seasonal dynamics varied distinctly, with C. camphora and P. massoniana peaking in spring and summer, respectively. Furthermore, C. camphora stands exhibited significantly higher annual P and K returns. Conversely, P. massoniana litter was characterized by the highest C:P ratio and mean annual lignin content (344.78 mg g−1), indicating lower decomposability that may restrict organic C turnover and N release. Consequently, the nutrient-rich and readily decomposable litter of C. camphora is more effective than P. massoniana at alleviating soil acidification and facilitating healthier C and N cycling. These findings highlight the critical role of aboveground litter quality in driving belowground soil C and N dynamics, providing a vital scientific basis for species selection during ecological restoration in acid rain-affected areas. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Cycling: From Micro Processes to Whole Ecosystems)
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19 pages, 5126 KB  
Article
Topsoil Carbon Spatial Patterns and Successional Shifts in Dominant Controls in Tropical Forests on Hainan Island
by Dong Qiao, Zijia Zhang, Yue Jiao, Lina Peng, Meian Luo, Guojiao Yang, Kun Zhao and Chuan Jin
Land 2026, 15(5), 783; https://doi.org/10.3390/land15050783 - 7 May 2026
Viewed by 384
Abstract
Soil organic carbon (SOC) is a key component of terrestrial carbon stocks, yet its spatial variability, recovery potential, and dominant controls across tropical forest succession remain insufficiently quantified. We combined field measurements from 40 natural forest plots on Hainan Island, China, with laboratory [...] Read more.
Soil organic carbon (SOC) is a key component of terrestrial carbon stocks, yet its spatial variability, recovery potential, and dominant controls across tropical forest succession remain insufficiently quantified. We combined field measurements from 40 natural forest plots on Hainan Island, China, with laboratory analyses and multi-source environmental data to assess topsoil SOC (0–20 cm) distribution, recovery potential, and regulatory drivers. In natural forests on Hainan Island, topsoil SOC stocks ranged from 33.06 to 62.60 Mg · C · ha−1. Using the median (Q0.5) SOC of old-growth forests as the reference level, recovery potential ranged from 12.60 to 42.14 Mg · C · ha−1. Topsoil SOC exhibited clear spatial heterogeneity across the island, with higher values in more continuous forest areas. Secondary forests generally exhibited lower current SOC but greater recovery potential, whereas old-growth forests showed higher and more stable stocks. Multivariate analyses revealed a clear successional shift in dominant controls: total phosphorus (TP) was the primary predictor in secondary forests, while total nitrogen (TN) dominated across the full gradient, particularly in old-growth forests. These findings highlight stage-dependent SOC regulation and the critical role of soil nutrient status in shaping tropical forest carbon recovery. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Cycling: From Micro Processes to Whole Ecosystems)
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