Climate and human activities alter coupling of soil macro- and micronutrients: Evidence from a long-term experiment in typical steppes

Summary

This long-term field experiment in typical steppes examined soil macro- and microelement dynamics across a precipitation gradient to identify universal and context-dependent mechanisms driving nutrient changes. The study found that soil zinc and iron stocks declined over time whilst copper, organic carbon, and total nitrogen increased, with stronger coupling between macro- and micronutrients at arid versus humid sites. Climate variability and human activities were identified as major drivers, with their relative importance varying along the precipitation gradient, offering insights for grassland management and food production sustainability.

UK applicability

Findings may have limited direct applicability to UK grassland systems, which operate under different precipitation regimes (temperate maritime climate) and management intensities than Chinese steppes. However, the methodological approach to tracking macro- and micronutrient coupling under environmental change could inform UK soil health monitoring and grassland resilience strategies.

Key measures

Soil zinc, iron, copper, manganese stocks; soil organic carbon (SOC) and soil total nitrogen (STN) stocks; temporal stability of nutrient stocks; correlation and coupling strength between macro- and micronutrients; contribution of precipitation, GDP per capita, and climate variability to nutrient variation

Outcomes reported

The study measured long-term changes in soil macro- and micronutrient stocks (zinc, iron, copper, soil organic carbon, and soil total nitrogen) across three steppe sites along a precipitation gradient, and quantified how climate and human activities drive nutrient dynamics and their coupling relationships.

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