Soil Terpenoid Content and Emissions Are Shaped by Litter Chemistry and Soil Depth

Soil Terpenoid Content and Emissions Are Shaped by Litter Chemistry and Soil Depth | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Soil Terpenoid Content and Emissions Are Shaped by Litter Chemistry and Soil Depth Hojin Lee, Sofie Katlewski, Pia Carolin Weber, Sophie Wehlings-Schmitz, and 4 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-7273661/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Published Journal Publication published 16 Nov, 2025 Read the published version in Plant and Soil → Version 1 posted 4 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Background and Aims This study investigates how soil terpenoid content and emissions vary with soil depth between two sites with contrasting tree species in a mixed temperate forest. We aimed to understand how species-specific litter chemistry and depth-dependent soil conditions jointly shape soil terpenoid content and emissions. Methods Foliar and soil samples were collected from evergreen Douglas fir and deciduous European beech plots under comparable climatic and edaphic conditions. Terpenoid contents in foliage were analyzed, as well as soil terpenoid content and emissions dependent on soil depth. Additionally, soil CO2 emissions, δ13C values, and physicochemical properties were assessed. Results Douglas fir plots showed substantially higher terpenoid content and emissions than beech plots, consistent with foliar chemical differences. Terpenoids were concentrated in surface layers and declined with depth. Emissions were limited to the surface soil in the Douglas fir plot, whereas the beech plot showed little depth variation. CO2 emissions and δ13C values varied with depth, indicating a shift in microbial activity and substrate origin from plant-derived litter in surface soils to more microbially processed sources in deeper layers. Conclusions This study indicates that tree species is the primary driver of soil terpenoid dynamics, as species-specific litter chemistry governs both the magnitude and vertical distribution of soil terpenoid content and emissions. Depth-related patterns appear to be associated with microbial activity, the origin of decomposed substrates, and soil physicochemical properties. These findings underscore the importance of accounting for both vegetation composition and depth-resolved soil processes when assessing VOC budget in forest ecosystems. Volatile organic compounds Soil terpenoid content and emissions Mixed temperate forests Species-specific litter Soil depth profile Forest VOC budget Full Text Supplementary Files PlantnSoilSupplementaryTable.xlsx Cite Share Download PDF Status: Published Journal Publication published 16 Nov, 2025 Read the published version in Plant and Soil → Version 1 posted Reviewers agreed at journal 04 Aug, 2025 Reviewers invited by journal 03 Aug, 2025 Editor assigned by journal 03 Aug, 2025 First submitted to journal 01 Aug, 2025 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-7273661","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":494869586,"identity":"b98fe3c0-edbb-46df-939b-bbe8f4991570","order_by":0,"name":"Hojin 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Hybrid","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":false},"keywords":"Volatile organic compounds, Soil terpenoid content and emissions, Mixed temperate forests, Species-specific litter, Soil depth profile, Forest VOC budget","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7273661/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7273661/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"Background and Aims\n\nThis study investigates how soil terpenoid content and emissions vary with soil depth between two sites with contrasting tree species in a mixed temperate forest. We aimed to understand how species-specific litter chemistry and depth-dependent soil conditions jointly shape soil terpenoid content and emissions.\n\nMethods\n\nFoliar and soil samples were collected from evergreen Douglas fir and deciduous European beech plots under comparable climatic and edaphic conditions. Terpenoid contents in foliage were analyzed, as well as soil terpenoid content and emissions dependent on soil depth. Additionally, soil CO2 emissions, δ13C values, and physicochemical properties were assessed.\n\nResults\n\nDouglas fir plots showed substantially higher terpenoid content and emissions than beech plots, consistent with foliar chemical differences. Terpenoids were concentrated in surface layers and declined with depth. Emissions were limited to the surface soil in the Douglas fir plot, whereas the beech plot showed little depth variation. CO2 emissions and δ13C values varied with depth, indicating a shift in microbial activity and substrate origin from plant-derived litter in surface soils to more microbially processed sources in deeper layers.\n\nConclusions\n\nThis study indicates that tree species is the primary driver of soil terpenoid dynamics, as species-specific litter chemistry governs both the magnitude and vertical distribution of soil terpenoid content and emissions. Depth-related patterns appear to be associated with microbial activity, the origin of decomposed substrates, and soil physicochemical properties. 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