Linking the Dissolved and Particulate Domain of Organic Carbon in Inland Waters
Maximilian P. Lau
Abstract
Abstract Organic carbon (OC) in inland waters is found in either dissolved or particulate states, each contributing differently to carbon cycling through state‐specific forms of transport, processing, and mineralization. Degradation of macroscopic organic material into solutes is the most common transition between these states, yet there is also the potential for dissolved organic carbon to aggregate and form particles. This latter process at the soil‐stream interface is subject of a new study by Einarsdóttir et al. (2020, https://doi.org/10.1029/2020JG005654 ) published in this issue. Their findings advance the understanding of the links between the dissolved and the particulate domain of OC with possible implication for long‐term OC burial and ecosystem functioning of inland waters.