Research Interests

 Yuan Liu is a soil biogeochemist specializing in soil carbon and nitrogen cycling and stable isotope labeling. He applies stable isotope (¹³C and ¹⁵N traces) in laboratory, greenhouse, and field studies to follow carbon and nitrogen through the plant-microbe-mineral continuum to understand how soil organic matter forms and stabilizes. His research aims to advance our understanding of soil biogeochemical processes, contributing to improved soil health, carbon sequestration, and the sustainability of crop production systems (especially bioenergy crop).

Ph.D., Ecosystem Ecology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China, 2019

B.Sc., M.S., Forest Resources Conservation, Northwest A&F University, Shaanxi, China, 2014

• Saraswat, A., Tian, J., Hraiz, F.M., Al Harasi, L.Z., Al Mayahi, M.H., Alyahyaee, M.K., Gururani, M.A., Liu, Y. and Kumar, A., 2025. Root and Leaf Traits of Alfalfa Exhibit Distinct Responses to Soil Microbial Communities and Environmental Stresses. Journal of Sustainable Agriculture and Environment, 4(1), p.e70038.
• Zhou, J., Liu, Y., Liu, C., Zamanian, K., Feng, W., Steiner, S.K., Shi, L., Guillaume, T. and Kumar, A., 2024. Necromass responses to warming: A faster microbial turnover in favor of soil carbon stabilisation. Science of the Total Environment, 954, p.176651.
• Pan, J., Liu, Y., He, N., Li, C., Li, M., Xu, L., & Sun, O. J. (2024). The influence of forest-to-cropland conversion on temperature sensitivity of soil microbial respiration across tropical to temperate zones. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 191, 109322.
• Li, J., Liu, Y., Cui, X., Liu, R., Du, Z., Chai, H., ... & Zhou, X. (2024). Mycorrhizal mediation of soil carbon in permafrost regions depends on soil nutrient stoichiometry and physical protection. Science of The Total Environment, 170907.
• Zhou, R.*, Liu, Y.*, Dungait, J. A., Kumar, A., Wang, J., Tiemann, L. K., ... & Tian, J. (2023). Microbial necromass in cropland soils: A global meta‐analysis of management effects. Global Change Biology, 29(7), 1998-2014. (*co-first author)
• Liu, Y., Kumar, A., Tiemann, L. K., Li, J., Chang, J., Xu, L., & He, N. (2023). Substrate availability reconciles the contrasting temperature response of SOC mineralization in different soil profiles. Journal of Soils and Sediments, 1-15.
• Pan, J., He, N., Liu, Y., Xu, L., Li, M. and Li, C., 2022. Growing season average temperature range is the optimal choice for Q10 incubation experiments of SOM decomposition. Ecological Indicators, 145, p.109749.
• Hu, S., Wang, C., Risch, A.C., Liu, Y., Li, Y., Li, L., Xu, X., He, N., Han, X. and Huang, J., 2022. Hydrothermal conditions determine soil potential net N mineralization rates in arid and semi‐arid grasslands. Functional Ecology, 36(10), pp.2626-2635.
• Li X, Petipas RH, Antoch AA, Liu Y, Stel HV, Bell‐Dereske L, Smercina DN, Bekkering C, Evans SE, Tiemann LK, Friesen ML. 2022. Switchgrass cropping systems affect soil carbon and nitrogen and microbial diversity and activity on marginal lands. GCB Bioenergy.14(8):918-40. 
• Liu Y., Evans S., Friesen M., Tiemann L. 2022. Root exudates shift how N mineralization and N fixation contribute to the plant-available N supply in low fertility soils. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 165, 108541. 
• Li, J., Chai, H., Ding, S., Wang, J., Li, X., Li, Y., Li, T., Liu, J., Wang, H., Liang, C., Wang, C., Liu Y., Luo, Y., Wang, L., and Wang, D. 2021. Species-specific herbivore grazing of type-specific grassland can assist with promotion of shallow layer of soil carbon sequestration. Environmental Research Letters, 16(11), p.114033. 
• Liu Y., Tian J., He N., Tiemann L. Global microbial necromass contribution to soil organic matter. 2021.
• Liu, Y., Xu, L., Zheng, S., Chen, Z., Cao, Y., Wen, X., He, N. 2021. Temperature sensitivity of soil microbial respiration in soils with lower substrate availability is enhanced more by labile carbon input. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 154, 108148  
• Bian, H., Zheng, S., Liu, Y., Xu, L., Chen, Z. and He, N., 2020. Changes to soil organic matter decomposition rate and its temperature sensitivity along water table gradients in cold-temperate forest swamps. Catena, 194, p.104684.
• Liu, Y., Wang C., Xu L., He, N. 2020. Effect of grazing exclusion on the temperature sensitivity of soil net nitrogen mineralization in the Inner Mongolian grasslands. European Journal of Soil Biology 91, 103171  
• Liu, Y., He, N., Xu, L., Tian J., Cao Y., Zheng S., Wang Q., Wen X., Xu X., Yakov K. 2019. A new incubation and measurement approach to estimate the temperature response of soil organic matter decomposition. Soil Biology and Biochemistry. 38, 107596  
• Liu, Y., He, N., Wen, X., Xu, L., Sun, X., Yu, G., Liang, L.L., Schipper, L.A., 2018. The optimum temperature of soil microbial respiration: Patterns and controls. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 121, 35-42.  
• Liu, Y., Wen, X., Zhang, Y., Tian, J., Gao, Y., Ostle, N.J., Niu, S., Chen, S., Sun, X., He, N., 2018. Widespread asymmetric response of soil heterotrophic respiration to warming and cooling. Science of the Total Environment 635, 423-431.  
• Liu, Y., He, N., Zhu, J., Xu, L., Yu, G., Niu, S., Sun, X., Wen, X., 2017. Regional variation in the temperature sensitivity of soil organic matter decomposition in China's forests and grasslands. Global Change Biology 23, 3393-3402.  
• Liu, Y., Wang, C., He, N., Wen, X., Gao, Y., Li, S., Niu, S., Butterbach-Bahl, K., Luo, Y., Yu, G., 2017. A global synthesis of the rate and temperature sensitivity of soil nitrogen mineralization: latitudinal patterns and mechanisms. Global Change Biology 23, 455-464.  
• Li, J., He, N., Xu, L., Chai, H., Liu, Y., Wang, D., Wang, L., Wei, X., Xue, J., Wen, X., Sun, X., 2017. Asymmetric responses of soil heterotrophic respiration to rising and decreasing temperatures. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 106, 18-27.  
• Liu, Y., He, N., Wen, X., Yu, G., Gao, Y., Jia, Y., 2016. Patterns and regulating mechanisms of soil nitrogen mineralization and temperature sensitivity in Chinese terrestrial ecosystems. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 215, 40-46.  
• Wang, Q., He, N., Liu, Y., Li, M., Xu, L., 2016. Strong pulse effects of precipitation events on soil microbial respiration in temperate forests. Geoderma 275, 67-73.    

• Liu Y., Tiemann L. Molecular scale investigations of the interaction of soil organic N with soil minerals. DOE EMSL (2023-2025). EMSL resources and user support provided as in-kind support of > $200,000
• Excellent Doctoral Dissertation of Chinese Academy of Sciences, June 2020 (100 out of more than 12,000 graduated PhD student)