Degree of woody encroachment into grasslands controls soil carbohydrate and amino compound changes during long term laboratory incubation

► We incubated soil samples from a chronosequence of woody plant encroachment for 1 year. ► Carbohydrate C was lost slightly faster than bulk C. ► Increases in amino C correlated with thermal data. ► Microbial recycling of C was important for soil C stability. ► Soil C decomposition was not linked to intrinsic degradability of isolated compounds.