Diurnal temperature variation in surface soils: an underappreciated control on microbial processes

Large diurnal temperature changes (ΔT) (or the diurnal temperature range (DTR)) in surface soils, ranging from 5°C to often greater than 20°C, are generally acknowledged to occur yet largely disregarded in studies that seek to understand how temperature affects microbially-mediated carbon and nitrogen cycling processes. The soil DTR is globally significant at depths of 30 cm or less, occurring from spring through summer in temperate biomes, during summer periods in the arctic, and year-round in the tropics. Thus, although temperature has long been considered an important factor in controlling microbial processes, our understanding of its effects remains incomplete when considering natural soil temperature cycles. Here we show: (1) documented impacts of diurnal temperature changes on microbial respiration rates; (2) documented observations of surface soils with large DTR (>5°C) that affect soil microbial mineralization rates and redox potentials of important biogeochemical reactions; and (3) direct evidence that the constant temperature regime typically used in laboratory soil incubation studies may therefore lead to mischaracterization of in situ temperature controls on microbially influenced processes in the environment. The overall effect is that the DTR yields process rates that are often higher than what has been observed under experimental mean temperature incubation. We suggest that overlooked genetic mechanisms, such as the presence of a circadian clock or thermophilic activity during summer months, are likely contributing to the observed effects of the DTR. To improve our understanding of climate change effects on soil greenhouse gas emissions, nutrient cycling, and other biogeochemical soil processes, we propose a paradigm shift in approach to temperature-inclusive process modeling and laboratory incubation studies that accounts for the important role of natural diurnal temperature fluctuations.