Biogeosciences www.biogeosciences.net 1726-4170 1726-4189 6 7 2009 10.5194/bg-6-1139-2009 http://www.biogeosciences.net/6/1139/2009/ http://www.biogeosciences.net/6/1139/2009/bg-6-1139-2009.html http://www.biogeosciences.net/6/1139/2009/bg-6-1139-2009.pdf 1139 1148 2009-07-07 Mineral fertilization did not affect decay of old lignin and SOC in a ¹³C-labeled arable soil over 36 years A. Hofmann A. Heim alexander.heim@geo.uzh.ch P. Gioacchini A. Miltner M. Gehre M. W. I. Schmidt Department of Geography, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland Institute of Agricultural Chemistry, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy UFZ – Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Leipzig, Germany Retardation of soil organic carbon (SOC) decay after nitrogen addition to litter or soil has been suggested in several recent studies and has been attributed to a retardation in lignin decay. 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