Precipitation legacy effects on gross N mineralization and nitrification rates in a Pinyon-Juniper dryland under altered precipitation
Jamie C. Irby·Peter M. Homyak·Erin J. Hanan·Alexander H. Krichels·Marko J. Spasojevic·G. Darrel Jenerette
Abstract Changes in precipitation patterns can influence soil nitrogen (N) cycling by altering the timing and extent of moisture availability. Arid conditions, associated with more frequent and severe droughts, can increase soil inorganic N concentrations when diffusion constraints decouple N sources and sinks, making this N susceptible to loss. Further, shifts in precipitation patterns in one season can “carry over” N into subsequent seasons, known as precipitation legacies. However, how these