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Increasing numbers of global change stressors reduce soil carbon worldwide

Author

Listed:
  • Tadeo Sáez-Sandino

    (Universidad Pablo de Olavide
    Western Sydney University)

  • Fernando T. Maestre

    (King Abdullah University of Science and Technology)

  • Miguel Berdugo

    (Universidad Complutense de Madrid)

  • Antonio Gallardo

    (Universidad Pablo de Olavide)

  • César Plaza

    (CSIC)

  • Pablo García-Palacios

    (CSIC
    University of Zurich)

  • Emilio Guirado

    (Universidad de Alicante
    Universidad de Alicante)

  • Guiyao Zhou

    (CSIC
    German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig)

  • Carsten W. Mueller

    (Technische Universität Berlin)

  • Leho Tedersoo

    (University of Tartu)

  • T. W. Crowther

    (ETH Zürich)

  • Manuel Delgado-Baquerizo

    (CSIC)

Abstract

Soils support a vast amount of carbon (C) that is vulnerable to climatic and anthropogenic global change stressors (for example, drought and human-induced nitrogen deposition). However, the simultaneous effects of an increasing number of global change stressors on soil C storage and persistence across ecosystems are virtually unknown. Here, using 1,880 surface soil samples from 68 countries across all continents, we show that increases in the number of global change stressors simultaneously exceeding medium–high levels of stress (that is, relative to their maximum levels observed in nature) are negatively and significantly correlated with soil C stocks and mineral association across global biomes. Soil C is particularly vulnerable in low-productivity ecosystems (for example, deserts), which are subjected to a greater number of global change stressors exceeding medium–high levels of stress simultaneously. Taken together, our work indicates that the number of global change stressors is a crucial factor for soil C storage and persistence worldwide.

Suggested Citation

  • Tadeo Sáez-Sandino & Fernando T. Maestre & Miguel Berdugo & Antonio Gallardo & César Plaza & Pablo García-Palacios & Emilio Guirado & Guiyao Zhou & Carsten W. Mueller & Leho Tedersoo & T. W. Crowther , 2024. "Increasing numbers of global change stressors reduce soil carbon worldwide," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 14(7), pages 740-745, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcli:v:14:y:2024:i:7:d:10.1038_s41558-024-02019-w
    DOI: 10.1038/s41558-024-02019-w
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