Land use change alters how soil nitrogen cycling responds to climate

Summary

This article summarizes a Functional Ecology research study examining how land use change (e.g., converting natural ecosystems to agricultural or managed lands) alters the sensitivity of soil nitrogen cycling to climate factors like temperature and rainfall. The research highlights that soil microbes responsible for breaking down organic nitrogen into plant-available forms respond differently to climate depending on whether the land is natural or managed. Land use change can disrupt the natural climate responsiveness of nitrogen cycling, with implications for ecosystem health, plant growth, and nutrient management under global climate change.