Mineralisation and leaching of C from 13C labelled plant litter along an initial soil chronosequence of a glacier forefield

► Soil CO2 effluxes and DOC leaching were studied along a glacier forefield. ► We added isotopic labelled litter to soil columns and traced litter-derived C in C fluxes. ► Litter addition had only negligible 'priming' effects along the glacier forefield. ► Less than 1% was leached as DOC at 10 cm depth. ► Changing soil moisture conditions controlled the litter decomposition.