Rainfall effect on soil respiration depends on antecedent soil moisture

Yajing Han1, Gangsheng Wang1, Lihua Xiong1

  • 1State Key Laboratory of Water Resources Engineering and Management, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China; Institute for Water-Carbon Cycles and Carbon Neutrality, School of Water Resources and Hydropower Engineering, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China.

Summary

Rainfall can suppress soil respiration (Rs) in temperate forests during the growing season, especially when soils are already moist. Antecedent soil moisture is a key factor influencing this response, improving ecosystem model predictions.

Related Concept Videos

Responses to Drought and Flooding02:41

Responses to Drought and Flooding

Water plays a significant role in the life cycle of plants. However, insufficient or excess of water can be detrimental and pose a serious threat to plants.
10.7K
Adaptations that Reduce Water Loss01:57

Adaptations that Reduce Water Loss

Though evaporation from plant leaves drives transpiration, it also results in loss of water. Because water is critical for photosynthetic reactions and other cellular processes, evolutionary pressures on plants in different environments have driven the acquisition of adaptations that reduce water loss.
25.6K
The Soil Ecosystem02:23

The Soil Ecosystem

Plants obtain inorganic minerals and water from the soil, which acts as a natural medium for land plants. The composition and quality of soil depend not only on the chemical constituents but also on the presence of living organisms. In general, soils contain three major components:
19.8K
Responses to Heat and Cold Stress02:45

Responses to Heat and Cold Stress

Every organism has an optimum temperature range within which healthy growth and physiological functioning can occur. At the ends of this range, there will be a minimum and maximum temperature that interrupt biological processes.
13.5K
The Roles of Bacteria and Fungi in Plant Nutrition02:11

The Roles of Bacteria and Fungi in Plant Nutrition

Plants have the impressive ability to create their own food through photosynthesis. However, plants often require assistance from organisms in the soil to acquire the nutrients they need to function correctly. Both bacteria and fungi have evolved symbiotic relationships with plants that help the species to thrive in a wide variety of environments.
35.3K