Arctic Soil C and N Cycling Are Linked With Microbial Adaptations During Drought.

ABSTRACT: Climate change increases the frequency and intensity of drought events, yet the mechanisms of microbe-mediated soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycling under drought are poorly understood. We conducted a microcosm experiment with a Greenlandic soil subjected to five levels of drought, reducing water content from 180% to 15% over the course of 3 weeks followed by rewetting, mimicking a natural drought event. We linked changes in microbial gene expression related to stress response as well as C and N cycling with greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, extracellular enzyme activities, and soil C and N status. Maximum changes in gene expression occurred at intermediate levels of drought (80% water content), characterized by acclimation of microbial physiology to drought conditions, including producti

SUBMITTER: Thomsen T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12445406 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature