Dissolved organic matter (DOM) is the most mobile form of organic matter in soils. Therefore, it contributes substantially to the cycling and distribution of carbon and nutrients within and between ecosystems. DOM is also an important component of the global C cycle: it is a potential source of both CO2 and the stabilized carbon present in subsoils and sediments. Furthermore, DOM contributes to soil forming processes and feeds microbial metabolism in lakes, rivers and the ocean.

The potential of using DOM as an indicator for environmental changes has been discovered in aquatic and marine sciences long ago. An analogue use in soil science seems desirable. However, a comprehensive understanding of DOM dynamics in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems remains challenging due to complex interactions of biogeochemical and hydrological processes at different scales, i.e. from the molecular to the landscape scale.

This session aims to improve our understanding of organic matter cycling from soil to water. We solicit contributions dealing with amounts, composition, reactivity and fate of DOM in soils, lakes, rivers and the ocean, and the impact of land use and climatic change on these processes. We want to bring together scientists from various backgrounds, but all devoted to the study of dissolved organic matter using a broad spectrum of methodological approaches.