Aridity Drives the Response of Soil Organic Carbon and Inorganic Carbon to Drought in Cropland

ABSTRACT In the face of a warming climate and increasing extreme weather events, understanding the trade‐offs between soil organic carbon (SOC) and inorganic carbon (SIC) under drought is critical for accurately assessing global soil carbon (C) sequestration. However, previous research has predominantly focused on SOC, despite emerging evidence indicating that SIC is highly sensitive to soil moisture dynamics. Using global soil profile C measurements, this study compares the relative ratio of SOC and SIC to soil total carbon (STC) in cropland to assess the impact of climatic drought on soil C pools. The research findings revealed that STC stocks averaged 8.0, 16.7, and 21.6 kg C m −2 at soil depths of 0–30 cm, 30–100 cm, and 100–200 cm, respectively. The STC in the deep soil depths (100–200 cm) responded linearly to the drought gradient, whereas STC in the surface layer showed a nonlinear response. It is notable that the ratio of SIC to STC increased along the drought gradient. Irrigation, a key drought mitigation strategy, increased the ratio of SIC in dry sub‐humid regions but reduced it elsewhere. These findings highlight the importance of incorporating SIC into climate change mitigation strategies, especially in the context of intensifying drought conditions.