Precipitation Controls on Soil Biogeochemical and Microbial Community Composition in Rainfed Agricultural Systems in Tropical Drylands

Thalita F. Abbruzzini, Morena Avitia, Karen Carrasco-Espinosa, Víctor Peña, Alberto Barrón-Sandoval, Ulises Isaac Salazar Cabrera, Rocío Cruz-Ortega, Mariana Benítez, Ana E. Escalante, Julieta A. Rosell, Ana Wegier and Julio Campo
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Thalita F. Abbruzzini: Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico 04510, Mexico
Morena Avitia: Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico 04510, Mexico
Karen Carrasco-Espinosa: Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico 04510, Mexico
Víctor Peña: Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico 04510, Mexico
Alberto Barrón-Sandoval: Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico 04510, Mexico
Ulises Isaac Salazar Cabrera: Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico 04510, Mexico
Rocío Cruz-Ortega: Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico 04510, Mexico
Mariana Benítez: Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico 04510, Mexico
Ana E. Escalante: Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico 04510, Mexico
Julieta A. Rosell: Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico 04510, Mexico
Ana Wegier: Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico 04510, Mexico
Julio Campo: Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico 04510, Mexico

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 21, 1-18

Abstract: The current and expected expansion of agriculture in the drylands of Mexico, together with the decrease in precipitation occurring in the country, likely affect ecosystem processes and will bring great challenges for the suitability of rainfed agriculture for smallholder farmers. Here, we assessed metrics of the soil C, N, and P cycles, as well as soil microbial diversity, under rainfed maize and common bean cropping in arid and semiarid regions of central Mexico. The soil enzymatic vector angles of cultivated plots in both regions were above 45°, suggesting P limitation for microbial growth and crop productivity. Although changes were not observed in the intensity of this P-limitation with aridity, we found a negative effect of drought increase on the concentration of soil organic C and total N, with consequences for the C, N, and P balance in soils. Increasing aridity leads to the homogenization of microbial diversity. Considering a scenario in which decreases in mean annual precipitation would uncouple the biogeochemical cycles and homogenize soil biodiversity, the ecological implications could be an increase in the vulnerability of agricultural ecosystems to drought, with negative consequences for the suitability of rainfed agriculture in the drylands of central Mexico.

Keywords: climate change; drought; enzyme stoichiometry; smallholder farming; soil biogeochemistry (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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