Frequent Droughts Reduce Carbon Stabilisation in Organo-Mineral Soils.

ABSTRACT: Climate change is increasing drought frequency, threatening the stability of soil carbon sinks. While droughts are known to accelerate soil organic matter decomposition and enhance CO₂ emissions, the long-term effects of recurrent droughts on soil remain unclear. We addressed this pressing issue by modelling long-term drought events in a temperate heathland on organo-mineral soil using the ECOSSE biogeochemical model and developing new metrics to assess changes in soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration and stabilisation. Across all scenarios, drought events decreased the size of microbial (BIO) and humified (HUM) SOC pools by up to 15% and 8% respectively. Short-interval droughts weakened the BIO-to-HUM transfer, leading to incomplete recovery after rewetting, whereas prolonged

SUBMITTER: Albanito F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12771270 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature