Comment on “Boosting soil carbon and nitrogen stocks by increasing soil test phosphorus” by Lima et al. (2026)

Comment on “Boosting soil carbon and nitrogen stocks by increasing soil test phosphorus” by Lima et al. (2026) | Authorea try { document.documentElement.classList.add('js'); } catch (e) { } var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'G-8VDV14Y67G']); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); (function() { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); })(); Skip to main content Preprints Collections Wiley Open Research IET Open Research Ecological Society of Japan All Collections About About Authorea FAQs Contact Us Quick Search anywhere Search for preprint articles, keywords, etc. Search Search ADVANCED SEARCH SCROLL This is a preprint and has not been peer reviewed. Data may be preliminary. 27 February 2026 V1 Latest version Share on Comment on “Boosting soil carbon and nitrogen stocks by increasing soil test phosphorus” by Lima et al. (2026) Author : Tanzeel Muzaffar 0009-0007-2138-5391 [email protected] Authors Info & Affiliations https://doi.org/10.22541/au.177222622.29326371/v1 121 views 51 downloads Contents Abstract Information & Authors Metrics & Citations View Options References Figures Tables Media Share Abstract This letter comments on Lima et al. (2026), who report increased soil carbon and nitrogen stocks with higher soil test phosphorus. I highlight methodological and interpretive concerns, including the use of single-block bulk density for stock calculations, low pseudo-R² values in linear-plateau models for subsoils, and limited discussion of phosphorus saturation and legacy effects. These issues temper conclusions regarding carbon sequestration and broader environmental benefits. Comment on “Boosting soil carbon and nitrogen stocks by increasing soil test phosphorus” by Lima et al. (2026) Dear Editor, Lima et al., 2026 examined phosphorus effects on soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) stocks, but key methodological and interpretive issues merit scrutiny. First, soil bulk density (BD) was measured in only one block per field and applied to all treatments. Even minor BD errors cause large C stock errors, It has been shown that a BD error of –0.01 to –0.51 g cm⁻³ can under- or overestimate C stocks by 1–36% (Walter et al., 2016). Reliance on a single BD value per site introduces unquantified uncertainty into the reported C and N stocks. Second, soil test P–C/N stock relationships were modeled with very low pseudo-R² (e.g. <0.2 in subsoils). Low R² values are common in broad regional calibrations (Heckman et al., 2006), reflecting high variability and weak predictive power. Lima et al. do not address how such poor model fits limit the utility of inferred critical P thresholds, especially at depth. Third, the suggestion that added P will significantly mitigate greenhouse‐gas emissions via boosted soil C is tenuous. In N‐limited systems, P fertilization can enhance respiration and even reduce soil C. It has been found that annual SOC losses of 0.04–0.09 Mg ha⁻¹ under P+K fertilization, despite higher yields (Poeplau et al., 2016). Thus, any climate benefit from P is not straightforward without balanced nutrient inputs. Finally, the authors omit discussion of P saturation and legacy effects. All soils have a finite P retention capacity, and excess P beyond crop uptake leaches into water bodies (Nair, 2014). “Legacy P” from long-term fertilization accumulates extractable P that drives eutrophication of surface waters (Cerven et al., 2021). These environmental hazards should temper recommendations to raise soil-test P. In summary, addressing BD sampling limitations, model-fit weaknesses, and the risks of P saturation would strengthen Lima et al.’s conclusions. Sincerely, Mohd Tanzeel Muzaffar VIT Bhopal University Kothrikalan, Sehore, Madhya Pradesh 466114, India Email: [email protected] ORCID: 0009-0007-2138-5391 References Cerven, V., J.M. Novak, A.A. Szögi, K. Pantuck, D.W. Watts, et al. 2021. The Occurrence of Legacy P Soils and Potential Mitigation Practices Using Activated Biochar. Agron. J. 11(7): 1–11. doi: 10.3390/agronomy11071289.Heckman, J.R., W. Jokela, T. Morris, D.B. Beegle, J.T. Sims, et al. 2006. Soil Test Calibration for Predicting Corn Response to Phosphorus in the Northeast USA. Agron. J. 98(2): 280–288. doi: 10.2134/agronj2005-0122.Lima, A.P., L. Gatiboni, D. Filippi, and T. Tiecher. 2026. Boosting soil carbon and nitrogen stocks by increasing soil test phosphorus. J. Environ. Qual. 55(1): e70146. doi: 10.1002/jeq2.70146.Nair, V.D. 2014. Soil phosphorus saturation ratio for risk assessment in land use systems. Front. Environ. Sci. 2. doi: 10.3389/fenvs.2014.00006.Poeplau, C., M.A. Bolinder, H. Kirchmann, and T. Kätterer. 2016. Phosphorus fertilisation under nitrogen limitation can deplete soil carbon stocks: evidence from Swedish meta-replicated long-term field experiments. Biogeosciences 13(4): 1119–1127. doi: 10.5194/bg-13-1119-2016.Walter, K., A. Don, B. Tiemeyer, and A. Freibauer. 2016. Determining Soil Bulk Density for Carbon Stock Calculations: A Systematic Method Comparison. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 80(3): 579–591. doi: 10.2136/sssaj2015.11.0407. Information & Authors Information Version history V1 Version 1 27 February 2026 Copyright This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License Keywords bulk density uncertainty critical soil test value legacy phosphorus soil carbon stocks soil phosphorus Authors Affiliations Tanzeel Muzaffar 0009-0007-2138-5391 [email protected] VIT Bhopal University View all articles by this author Metrics & Citations Metrics Article Usage 121 views 51 downloads .FvxKWukQNSOunydq8rnd { width: 100px; } Citations Download citation Tanzeel Muzaffar. Comment on “Boosting soil carbon and nitrogen stocks by increasing soil test phosphorus” by Lima et al. (2026). Authorea . 27 February 2026. DOI: https://doi.org/10.22541/au.177222622.29326371/v1 If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download. 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