Photochemical alteration of organic carbon draining permafrost soils shifts microbial metabolic pathways and stimulates respiration

Abstract

The role of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) photo-alteration in the microbial respiration of DOC to CO2 is unclear. Here, the authors show that the impact of this mechanism depends on whether photo-alteration of DOC produces or removes molecules used by native microbial communities prior to light exposure.