Skip to content
DraconiticResearch
Search Sources API
190,869 studies31 sourcesUpdated 20 min ago
Peer-reviewedCC BY 4.0Communications Earth & Environment

Erosion carbon dynamics extend beyond carbon accounting to ecological significance

  • Liangang Xiao
Open at sourcePDFDOICite

Abstract

For decades, the debate over whether erosion acts as a carbon source or sink has advanced our understanding of carbon redistribution across stocks and fluxes. Yet, this quantitative perspective alone does not capture the full ecological significance of carbon along these pathways. Carbon value lies not only in how much is stored, but also in how it functions within ecosystems. Erosion is not merely a switch governing land–atmosphere carbon exchange, but also a driver redistributing carbon among ecological states. Here, a framework is developed that interprets erosion as a reorganization of the soil functional layer, linking carbon redistribution to changes in stability and functionality across landscape contexts. This perspective helps explain the paradox in erosion management, whereby processes that reduce carbon burial may simultaneously enhance ecosystem functioning. It reframes carbon redistribution from changes in carbon stocks to shifts in ecological states, with implications for carbon accounting and ecosystem management.

Related

  1. Trajectory of the Landes forest (1850-2022): a carbon sink subject to changing social and ecological dynamics
    Thérèse Rabotin, Dalia Fages-Gouyou, Gilles Billen +1
    Revue forestière françaisePeer-reviewedCC BY 4.0Full textEcologyEnvironmental science & pollutionHAL
  2. Carbon accounting method for industrial sectors at prefectural level: the case of Shanxi Province
    Zongyu Li, Guitian Huang
    Scientific ReportsPeer-reviewedCC BY 4.0Full textEnvironmental science & pollutionCrossref
  3. Value-transforming financial, carbon and biodiversity footprint accounting
    Sami El Geneidy, Maiju Peura, Viivi-Maija Aumanen +4
    Journal of Industrial EcologyPeer-reviewedCC BYFull text19 citedEnvironmental science & pollutionOpenAlex
  4. Accounting for Forest Carbon Loss from Natural Gas Development in a Major U.S. Gas Region.
    Elliot S Shannon, Andrew O Finley, Paul B May +2
    Environmental science & technologyPeer-reviewedCC BYFull textClimate scienceEurope PMC
  5. Accounting for spatial structure and surface conditions through in situ soil spectral information: application to soil organic carbon modelling
    Hugues Merlet, Youssef Fouad, Didier Michot +4
    Science of Remote SensingPeer-reviewedCC BY 4.0Full textGeneral biologyEnvironmental science & pollutionHAL

Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{xiao2026erosion,
  title = {{Erosion carbon dynamics extend beyond carbon accounting to ecological significance}},
  author = {Liangang Xiao},
  journal = {Communications Earth \& Environment},
  year = {2026},
  month = oct,
  doi = {10.1038/s43247-026-04203-6},
  url = {https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-026-04203-6},
  note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Erosion carbon dynamics extend beyond carbon accounting to ecological significance
AU  - Liangang Xiao
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/31
JO  - Communications Earth & Environment
DO  - 10.1038/s43247-026-04203-6
UR  - https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-026-04203-6
AB  - For decades, the debate over whether erosion acts as a carbon source or sink has advanced our understanding of carbon redistribution across stocks and fluxes. Yet, this quantitative perspective alone does not capture the full ecological significance of carbon along these pathways. Carbon value lies not only in how much is stored, but also in how it functions within ecosystems. Erosion is not merely a switch governing land–atmosphere carbon exchange, but also a driver redistributing carbon among ecological states. Here, a framework is developed that interprets erosion as a reorganization of the soil functional layer, linking carbon redistribution to changes in stability and functionality across landscape contexts. This perspective helps explain the paradox in erosion management, whereby processes that reduce carbon burial may simultaneously enhance ecosystem functioning. It reframes carbon redistribution from changes in carbon stocks to shifts in ecological states, with implications for carbon accounting and ecosystem management.
SN  - 2662-4435
ER  -