Bomb carbon

Many recent studies have shown that bomb 14C represents a spike input of 14C to the stratosphere, which subsequently entered the terrestrial ecosystems through plants and then recycled through animals, microorganisms, soils, and soil organic matter. This bomb carbon can be used to study the dynamics of soil organic matter. By measuring the bomb 14C content of soil organic carbon present in the soil profile, and assuming steady state conditions exist, a number of organic carbon dynamics such as annual input of carbon, rate of decomposition, turnover time, and downward movement or diffusivity of carbon in the soil profile have been determined. The protocol for these determinations is described in this chapter