Do the respiration pulses induced by drying-rewetting matter for the soil-atmosphere carbon balance?

We show that the explosive microbial and biogeochemical dynamics triggered by rewetting dry soil in laboratory experiments also has relevance in intact ecosystems. This highlights an opportunity to use predictions derived from laboratory studies to provide targets in ecosystem-scale biogeochemical studies.

Automated summary

Laboratory experiments have shown that the dynamics of microbes and biogeochemical processes triggered by rewetting dry soil are also relevant in intact ecosystems. This presents an opportunity to use predictions from laboratory studies as targets in ecosystem-scale biogeochemical research.