Quantifying Rhizosphere Priming Effects for Precision Soil Carbon Amendment
Precision soil carbon amendment demands more than just adding organic inputs—it requires understanding how roots and microbes interact to either preserve or dismantle existing soil organic matter. The rhizosphere priming effect (RPE) is the change in native soil organic matter decomposition rate caused by living roots. This effect can be positive (accelerating decomposition) or negative (suppressing it), and its magnitude often dwarfs the direct carbon input from amendments. For practitioners aiming to build stable carbon stocks, quantifying RPE is not optional; it is the difference between a net sink and a net source. This guide is written for experienced soil scientists, agronomists, and carbon project developers who already understand basic carbon cycling and need practical protocols for measuring and managing priming in the field. Field Context: Where Priming Shows Up in Real Work RPE is not a laboratory curiosity.