Dependence of cumulative CO2 emission and microbial diversity on the wetting intensity in drying-rewetting cycles in agriculture soil on the Loess Plateau

Altered drying-rewetting (DRW) procedures due to climate change may influence soil microbial properties and microbially-mediated carbon cycling in arid semi-arid regions. However, the effects of DRW different intensities on respiration are not well understood. Thus, responsive patterns communities mineralization agriculture Chinese Loess Plateau treatments with wetting (5%–25% 5%–36%) frequency (1-cycle 4-cycle) were investigated. Continuous moisture levels 5%, 25% 36% used as control. Results revealed that reduction bacterial diversity richness greater for 5%–36% than 5%–25% treatment, while fungi was similar intensities. Bacterial became clustered by intensity rather cycle number, however fungal community unaffected DRW. The complexity co-occurrence network increased because higher nodes, edges, average degree, diameter cluster coefficient after 4-cycles, interaction more complex 1-cycle fungi. Rewetting caused a pulse-like increase rate, pulse amplitude high rewetting decreased number. cumulative CO2 emission lower continuous conditions. net release treatment 1.18 times treatment. Our study provides experimental evidence positive potential processes maintaining stock an system Plateau.