Advances in Earth Science ›› 2024, Vol. 39 ›› Issue (8): 772-787. doi: 10.11867/j.issn.1001-8166.2024.060

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Dust or Dirt: How to Understand and Characterize the Biophysical Architecture of Soil Aggregate System

Zheng ZHAO 1 , 2( ), Xiao FENG 1 , 3, Cheng LIU 1 , 4, Shuotong CHEN 1 , 5, Zhiwei LIU 1 , 2, Yan WANG 1 , 2, Shaopan XIA 1 , 2, Xiaoyu LIU 1 , 2, Rongjun BIAN 1 , 2, Xuhui ZHANG 1 , 2, Kun CHENG 1 , 2, Jufeng ZHENG 1 , 2, Lianqing LI 1 , 2, Genxing PAN 1 , 2( )   

  1. 1.Department of Soil Science, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
    2.Institute of Resource, Ecosystem and Environment of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
    3.Department of Environmental and Safety Engineering, Taiyuan Institute of Technology, Taiyuan 030008, China
    4.School of Environment and Resources, Zhejiang University of Science and Technology, Hangzhou 310008, China
    5.College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou Jiangsu, 225127, China
  • Received:2024-06-14 Revised:2024-07-10 Online:2024-08-10 Published:2024-09-10
  • Contact: Genxing PAN E-mail:zhaozhengqs@163.com;pangenxing@aliyun.com
  • About author:ZHAO Zheng, Ph. D student, research area includes soil science research. E-mail: zhaozhengqs@163.com
  • Supported by:
    the National Natural Science Foundation of China(42077082)

Zheng ZHAO, Xiao FENG, Cheng LIU, Shuotong CHEN, Zhiwei LIU, Yan WANG, Shaopan XIA, Xiaoyu LIU, Rongjun BIAN, Xuhui ZHANG, Kun CHENG, Jufeng ZHENG, Lianqing LI, Genxing PAN. Dust or Dirt: How to Understand and Characterize the Biophysical Architecture of Soil Aggregate System[J]. Advances in Earth Science, 2024, 39(8): 772-787.

With growing concerns about ecosystem functioning and the services provided by soil, the study of soil aggregates has increasingly become a central discipline of modern soil science, with ongoing updates to consensus and methodology. In this review, we provide a holistic overview of the understanding and characterization of the soil aggregate system that has emerged over the last two decades. The evolution of concepts related to soil aggregation, size fractionation, and structural characterization is presented, along with discussions on the separation and examination of the biophysical structure. Additionally, the final core scientific consensus on the soil hierarchy system is synthesized. The key points of understanding soil aggregates are as follows: Soil aggregates are considered the fundamental micro-architectural and functional units, composed of mineral particles, organic matter, and microbiomes through their interactions and co-occurrence, thus representing the basic functional particles of soil in nature; The micro-spatial distribution of soil aggregates at different hierarchical levels results in the heterogeneity and functional diversity of soil; The ultimate nature of soil aggregates can be envisioned as an embedded bio-pore system, created through the dual structure of aggregates and the associated pore system governed by the hierarchical aggregate system; A soil aggregate system is generally represented by three major hierarchical size fractions: macroaggregates, microaggregates, and the silt/clay fraction, with macroaggregates formed by binding microaggregates and/or silt-clay particles with coarse organic matter, resembling a pomegranate structure; Wet sieving of field-moist samples is recommended for the preparation of soil aggregate separates, although dry or moist sieving is often used for samples from drylands; μCT tomography technology is a powerful tool for quantifying and visualizing the pore system of soil aggregates, with the potential to link soil life processes to ecosystem services. Global cooperation is encouraged to develop a unified protocol for fractionating, quantifying, and visualizing the soil hierarchy system of aggregates across the world’s soils. With these developments, the complex soil system, particularly its biodiversity, can be explored at the aggregate scale. Based on the updated understanding and characterization of the soil aggregate system, nature-based solutions for global soil management policies and technical options will be provided, contributing to Earth’s sustainability.

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