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Updated: Jan 13, 2026
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Monitoring Pedogenic Inorganic Carbon Accumulation Due to Weathering of Amended Silicate Minerals in Agricultural Soils.
Published on: June 4, 2021
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Assessing the impacts of wetting and drying cycles on soil aggregate structure. A global meta-analysis study
Gratien Nsabimana1, Yuhai Bao2, Xiubin He2
1Key Laboratory of Mountain Surface Processes and Ecological Regulation, Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, 610299, Sichuan, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China; Research for Sustainable Agriculture and Environmental Conservation (RSAEC), P.O. Box: 1280, Rwanda, Kigali.
Journal of Environmental Management
|January 10, 2026
Summary
Wetting and drying cycles degrade soil structure, reducing aggregate stability and increasing erosion risk. Sustainable practices like mulching are crucial for soil health.
Area of Science:
- Soil Science
- Environmental Science
- Agronomy
Background:
- Wetting and drying cycles (WDCs) significantly impact soil structure, leading to degradation, erosion, and greenhouse gas emissions.
- Previous studies on WDCs' effects on soil properties yielded inconsistent conclusions.
- A comprehensive meta-analysis is needed to unify understanding and identify moderating factors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide a unified understanding of WDCs' impacts on soil structure.
- To determine how soil properties and climatic conditions influence WDCs' effects.
- To offer scientific evidence for sustainable soil conservation.
Main Methods:
- Conducted a meta-analysis of 659 paired observations from 26 studies.
- Quantified effect sizes for soil aggregate stability metrics (MWD, GMD, WSA).
- Analyzed impacts on macro- and microaggregate proportions, porosity, and pore numbers.
Main Results:
- WDCs significantly decreased soil aggregate stability (MWD, GMD, WSA) and macroaggregate proportion, while increasing microaggregates.
- Increased WDCs exacerbated aggregate degradation under high precipitation and temperature.
- Soils with higher organic carbon and clay content exhibited greater resilience to WDCs' negative effects on aggregate stability.
Conclusions:
- WDCs demonstrably degrade soil structure, negatively impacting soil erosion and environmental quality.
- Climate and soil properties (organic carbon, clay content) modulate the severity of WDC-induced degradation.
- Sustainable soil management practices are essential to mitigate WDC impacts and enhance soil resilience.
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