Dr. JIN Jian, a professor from the Key Laboratory of Black Soil Ecology, Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, discovered　 the fate of photosynthetically-fixedC in soybean-grown in Chinese Mollisols, which was funded by NSFC (40701084).

The knowledge of the contribution of carbon (C) released by growing roots to soil is essential to better understand the terrestrial C cycling and optimally manage soil organic matter in ecosystems. However, little information has been gained on quantifying the distribution of photosynthetically-fixedC in plant-soil system and its contribution to soil C over a growing season in soybean-grown in Chinese Mollisols that is the main soil type in Northeast China. The result was published on current issue of Crop & Pasture Science (2011, 62:563-570).

This study is important for further studying the C-cycling in Chinese Mollisols, the contribution of photosynthetically-fixed C to organic matter and the microbial mechanisms on soil C turnover.