Skip to main content

Glomalin: A Key Indicator for Soil Carbon Stabilization

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Soil Carbon Stabilization to Mitigate Climate Change

Abstract

In the last decades, many studies were addressed focusing on soil protection that helps sequestration and stabilization of organic carbon in soil aggregates. Soil aggregates are an association of primary soil particles, bacteria, fungi, plant root and soil organic matter. Plant root provides a carbon source for arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) present in soil aggregates. AMF produces a glycoprotein glomalin which is hydrophobic, insoluble, and recalcitrant in nature. Glomalin plays a vital role in the stabilization of soil aggregates. Greater stability of soil aggregates leads to a larger amount of protected organic carbon in the soil. Thus, glomalin-related soil protein can be considered as a potential contributor in the stabilization of soil organic carbon. In the present chapter, the different aspects of glomalin composition, production, role in soil, recalcitrant nature, potential role in soil carbon locking up and stabilization are summarized and discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 219.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 279.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 279.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Abbreviations

AMF:

Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi

BRSP:

Bradford Reactive Soil Protein

GRSP:

Glomalin-Related Soil Protein

HSP60:

Heat Shock Protein 60

OM:

Organic Matter

SOC:

Soil Organic Carbon

SOM:

Soil Organic Matter

References

Download references

Acknowledgements

The work was supported by the project of Technology Agency of the Czech Republic TH02030169: “Effect of biologically transformed organic matter and biochar application on the stability of productive soil properties and reduction of environmental risks” and by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic, grant number FCH-S-20-6446.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Martin Brtnicky .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2021 Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Holatko, J. et al. (2021). Glomalin: A Key Indicator for Soil Carbon Stabilization. In: Datta, R., Meena, R.S. (eds) Soil Carbon Stabilization to Mitigate Climate Change. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-6765-4_2

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics