Rhizodeposition under ambient and elevated CO2 levels

Abstract

As global CO2 levels rise, can soils store more carbon and so buffer atmospheric CO2 levels? Answering this question requires a knowledge of the rates of C inputs to soil and of CO2 outputs via decomposition. Below-ground inputs from roots are a major component of the C flow into soils but are still poorly understood. In this article, new techniques for measuring rhizodeposition are reviewed and discussed and the need for cross-comparisons between methods is identified. One component of rhizodeposition, root exudation, is examined in more detail and evidence is presented which suggests that current estimates of exudate flow into soils are incorrect. A mechanistic mathematical model is used to explore how exudate flows might change under elevated CO2