Duality of root-dominated net soil organic carbon gain and mycelium-mediated carbon loss in hyper-arid afforestation.

Root-derived carbon inputs drive most soil organic carbon gains across a dryland afforestation chronosequence, accounting for 77.19–85.05% of SOC changes.

• Why it matters: Root and mycelium carbon pathways differ in inputs and stabilization, but their relative roles in SOC dynamics across dryland afforestation stages remain unclear.
• What they did: Using the ingrowth-core method across young, middle-aged, and mature forests, the study quantified how root and mycelium pathways contributed to SOC changes via particulate organic C and mineral-associated organic C.
• The result: Mycelium pathways caused net SOC loss through particulate organic C depletion, contributing 14.95–22.81% of SOC changes; SOC concentration peaked in middle-aged forests, while relative SOC stability peaked in young forests.

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