Effects of climate change on soil functions

Soils form through the interaction of climate, topography, parent material, biota, and time. Predicted rapid climate change may affect soil processes and functions in different ways:

  • A higher soil temperature will alter the cycling of nutrients and carbon by modifying the habitat of soil biota. This may affect the diversity, abundance, and structure of species.

  • Increased temperature and decreased moisture tend to decrease crop production and will accelerate the decomposition of soil organic matter. Overall, this may lead to decreased soil organic carbon stocks as well as  increased CO2 emissions to the atmosphere.

  • More intense rainfall events may lead to increased soil erosion. Greater precipitation can also cause water-logging. This will restrict the supply of oxygen to plant roots and increase the emission of nitrous oxide and methane.

  • Changing rainfall patterns, involving either increased or decreased precipitation, will affect soil chemistry and biology.

  • Prolonged periods of heat and drought between rainy periods may cause wilting, desiccation, and soil salinization. In combination, these effects may reduce crop yields and livelihood.

  • A possible change in soil organic matter content resulting from both climate change and land-management changes will affect the water holding capacity of a soil. Maintenance of the soil organic matter content is important to reduce the adverse impacts of intense rainfall and droughts, which are projected to become more frequent and severe.

Unless the quantity of plant-available water and temperature can be managed in the root zone, it will be difficult to enhance the content of soil organic carbon in ‘harsh’ environments

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