The carbon, nitrogen, and water cycles within terrestrial ecosystems are three major themes in global change research. Understanding the complex interactions of these cycles and their biological regulation mechanisms is vital at the frontiers of global change ecology, also facilitating the accurate evaluation of the carbon budget of terrestrial ecosystems in the face of climate change scenarios.

Climate change and the resulting fluctuations in precipitation patterns have profoundly impacted the structure and function of terrestrial ecosystems. Among the ecosystems, arid regions – comprising deserts, oases, grasslands, and mountain forests - showcase a heightened sensitivity to moisture variations and demonstrate a more pronounced response to the transient changes in resource availability.

Climate change has significantly affected the cycling of carbon, nitrogen, and water within terrestrial ecosystems, along with their intricate interrelationships. Generally, climate warming has notably increased soil nitrogen mineralization rates, leading to enhanced nitrogen availability within the soil. Current global carbon cycle models typically predict that climate warming will diminish the carbon sink capacity of terrestrial ecosystems. Precipitation and nitrogen are key determinants of ecosystem productivity. Their interaction markedly influences soil nitrogen cycling, including nitrogen mineralization, nitrogen loss, and plant nitrogen uptake.

While there is a relatively comprehensive understanding of the biological mechanisms governing individual carbon, nitrogen, and water cycling within terrestrial ecosystems, research has yet to fully delve into their coupled relationships. Particularly limited are studies exploring these cycles across different geographical units within ecosystems, their spatiotemporal dynamics, and the regulatory roles of plants and soil microbes.

This Research Topic will emphasize the characteristics of geographical independence and interconnection among deserts/sand dunes, oases, grasslands, and mountainous areas in arid regions. The main theme will center on the carbon, nitrogen, and water cycling within arid ecosystems, adopting an interdisciplinary and multi-scale research approach. It will encompass research from the organ, individual, community, and ecosystem levels, extending to regional and inter-regional scales (across various geographical units). The aim is to investigate the processes, mechanisms, and regulation of carbon, nitrogen, and water cycles in arid ecosystems under the context of climate change.

We encourage submissions of any article type on the following sub-topics, although other relevant contributions are also welcome:

• Mechanisms of adaptive feedback of plant organs, individuals, communities, and ecosystems in arid regions.
• Connectivity and driving mechanisms of carbon, nitrogen, and water cycles in arid ecosystems.
• Scaling effects and functional mechanisms of plant water relations in arid regions.
• Ecological and hydrological processes in revegetated desert ecosystems.
• Water conservation functions of mountain forests in arid regions.

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Frontiers in Plant Science

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