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bioRxiv · 10.64898/2026.09.22.753682

Toward a global chemogeography of dissolved organic matter: a molecular trait dataset across Earth systems

han, l.·Song, K.·Stegen, J.·Hu, A.
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Abstract

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) is a central component of biogeochemical cycling, but molecular observations generated by ultrahigh-resolution mass spectrometry remain fragmented across studies, limiting quantitative comparisons among ecosystems. Here, we compile and harmonize a global dataset of DOM molecular traits comprising 3,999 samples from 337 studies published between 2005 and 2026. The dataset includes eight intensity-weighted molecular traits: hydrogen-to-carbon (H/C), oxygen-to-carbon (O/C), nitrogen-to-carbon (N/C), and sulfur-to-carbon (S/C) ratios; molecular mass; double-bond equivalents (DBE); modified aromaticity index (AImod); and nominal oxidation state of carbon (NOSC). Samples span aquatic, terrestrial, atmospheric, plant-associated, petroleum-related, and other environments, and are linked, where available, to geographic, physicochemical, nutrient, and climatic metadata. Molecular data were harmonized using common definitions and restricted to negative-mode electrospray-ionization FT-ICR MS to improve cross-study comparability. This resource enables cross-system comparisons of DOM molecular traits and supports analyses of environmental gradients, geographic coverage, and global DOM chemogeography.

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han, l., Song, K., Stegen, J., Hu, A.. 2026-09-23. Toward a global chemogeography of dissolved organic matter: a molecular trait dataset across Earth systems. https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.09.22.753682

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