2026-08-21T01:03:08Zhttps://docta.ucm.es/rest/oai/request

oai:docta.ucm.es:20.500.14352/1391162026-08-19T00:03:31Zcom_20.500.14352_14col_20.500.14352_15

00925njm 22002777a 4500 dc Li, Chunkai author Feng, Youzhi author Sáez-Sandino, Tadeo author Xiong, Chao author Eldridge, David J. author Gross, Nicolas author Le Bagousse-Pinguet, Yoann author Ochoa, Victoria author Gozalo, Beatriz author Guirado, Emilio author Zhou, Guiyao author García-Gómez, Miguel author Valencia Gómez, Enrique author Berdugo Vega, Miguel author Asensio, Sergio author Martínez-Valderrama, Jaime author Mendoza, Betty Josefina author Berhe, Asmeret A. author Cutler, Nick A. author Abades, Sebastian author Alcántara, Julio author Alfaro, Fernando author Arroyo, Antonio I. author Barrett, Matt author Bastida, Felipe author Blaum, Niels author Boldgiv, Bazartseren author Bowker, Matthew author Branquinho, Cristina author Hart, Stephen C. author Deák, Balázs author Durán, Jorge author Espinosa, Carlos Ivan author Fajardo, Alex author Fraser, Lauchlan H. author Gallardo, Antonio author García Velázquez, Laura author Geissler, Katja author Grebenc, Tine author Gusman Moltanvan, Elizabeth author Kindermann, Liana author Köbel, Melanie author Laanisto, Lauri author le Roux, Peter C. author Liancourt, Pierre author Liang, Jinsong author Linstädter, Anja author Louw, Michelle A. author Macek, Petr author Maggs-Kölling, Gillian author Makhalanyane, Thulani P. author Manzaneda, Antonio J. author Marais, Eugene author Montesinos, Daniel author Mora, Juan P. author Moreno, Gerardo author Muñoz-Rojas, Miriam author Mussery, Amir author Unuk Nahberger, Tina author Nair, Girish R. author Neuhauser, Sigrid author Plaza, Cesar author Pueyo, Yolanda author Rey, Pedro J. author Rey, Ana author de los Ríos, Asunción author Rodríguez, Alexandra author Rodriguez Lozano, Borja author Roman, Raul author C. Ruppert, Jan author Salah, Ayman author Serôdio, Joana author Siles, José A. author Singh, Jay author Travers, Samantha author Undrakhbold, Sainbileg author Valkó, Orsolya author Vivas, María author Wang, Lixin author Williams, Mark A. author Zaady, Eli author Maestre, Fernando T. author Singh, Brajesh K. author Delgado-Baquerizo, Manuel author 2026-06-20 Aridity alters soil carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) stoichiometry, yet the implications of these processes for soil microbial functional traits and potentials at the genomic level remain poorly synthesized. Here we combine measurements of soil C, N and P pools and ratios with shotgun metagenomes from 200 natural ecosystems spanning major biomes worldwide. Across sites, increased aridity is associated with lower soil C:N and N:P (and C:P) ratios and with a coordinated shift in microbial functional potential. Genes linked to catabolic resource acquisition—including carbohydrate-active enzymes and pathways for degradation of plant litter and organophosphorus compounds—are declined as C becomes relatively scarce. In contrast, genes supporting anabolic investment in growth and drought resistance, such as RNA transcription, protein synthesis and intracellular transport, are increased. These patterns indicate that aridity-related change in soil elemental ratios is coupled to a broad shift from catabolic to anabolic strategies in soil microbiomes. By linking soil elemental ratios to microbial functional traits across biomes, our study provides a framework for anticipating how climate-driven drying may reorganize microbial metabolism with consequences for carbon and nutrient cycling. Li, C., Feng, Y., Sáez-Sandino, T., Xiong, C., Eldridge, D. J., Gross, N., Le Bagousse-Pinguet, Y., Ochoa, V., Gozalo, B., Guirado, E., Zhou, G., García-Gómez, M., Valencia, E., Berdugo, M., Asensio, S., Martínez-Valderrama, J., Mendoza, B. J., Berhe, A. A., Cutler, N. A., … Delgado-Baquerizo, M. (2026). Aridity-related differences in soil elemental ratios reshape microbial functional traits across global biomes. Nature Communications, 17, 8224. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-73215-9 2041-1723 10.1038/s41467-026-73215-9 https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/139116 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-73215-9 Aridity-related differences in soil elemental ratios reshape microbial functional traits across global biomes