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Shifts in pore connectivity from precipitation versus groundwater rewetting increases soil carbon loss after drought

Author

Listed:
  • A. Peyton Smith

    (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory)

  • Ben Bond-Lamberty

    (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 5825 University Research Court)

  • Brian W. Benscoter

    (Department of Biological Sciences)

  • Malak M. Tfaily

    (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory)

  • C. Ross Hinkle

    (Ecosystem Processes and Services Laboratory)

  • Chongxuan Liu

    (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
    School of Environmental Science and Engineering)

  • Vanessa L. Bailey

    (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory)

Abstract

Droughts and other extreme precipitation events are predicted to increase in intensity, duration, and extent, with uncertain implications for terrestrial carbon (C) sequestration. Soil wetting from above (precipitation) results in a characteristically different pattern of pore-filling than wetting from below (groundwater), with larger, well-connected pores filling before finer pore spaces, unlike groundwater rise in which capillary forces saturate the finest pores first. Here we demonstrate that pore-scale wetting patterns interact with antecedent soil moisture conditions to alter pore-scale, core-scale, and field-scale C dynamics. Drought legacy and wetting direction are perhaps more important determinants of short-term C mineralization than current soil moisture content in these soils. Our results highlight that microbial access to C is not solely limited by physical protection, but also by drought or wetting-induced shifts in hydrologic connectivity. We argue that models should treat soil moisture within a three-dimensional framework emphasizing hydrologic conduits for C and resource diffusion.

Suggested Citation

  • A. Peyton Smith & Ben Bond-Lamberty & Brian W. Benscoter & Malak M. Tfaily & C. Ross Hinkle & Chongxuan Liu & Vanessa L. Bailey, 2017. "Shifts in pore connectivity from precipitation versus groundwater rewetting increases soil carbon loss after drought," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 8(1), pages 1-11, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:8:y:2017:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-017-01320-x
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-01320-x
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    Cited by:

    1. Zheng Li & Alexandra N. Kravchenko & Alison Cupples & Andrey K. Guber & Yakov Kuzyakov & G. Philip Robertson & Evgenia Blagodatskaya, 2024. "Composition and metabolism of microbial communities in soil pores," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-16, December.
    2. Zhu, Jie & Chen, Shanghong & Zhang, Qingwen & Mei, Xurong, 2023. "Multi-year vertical and life cycle impacts of C-N management on soil moisture regimes," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 290(C).

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