Data on "The combination of warming and salinity were responsible for short-term changes in soil organic matter pools, greenhouse gas emissions, aggregates and nutrient availability in an irrigated orchard soil"

This dataset was used in a study that examines how rising temperature and salinity jointly affect soil organic matter (SOM) dynamics, aggregate stability, and nutrient availability in semiarid Mediterranean irrigated orchard soils, an interaction largely unexplored despite prior single-factor research. Using a controlled incubation experiment, the authors found that soil pH and electrical conductivity moved inversely, with pH highest under low salinity and temperature. Mineral-associated organic C stayed stable, while particulate organic C rose and soluble C fell at 21°C, pointing to increased formation of microbial-derived labile organic C at higher temperatures. Na⁺ displacement of Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ appeared to drive reduced mean weight diameter, an effect absent at 21°C. Overall, temperature emerged as the dominant driver of SOM dynamics, with salinity contributing a significant secondary effect. While short-term incubations can't capture long-term soil processes, they reveal rapid responses to climate stressors, offering useful insight into soil health and ecosystem functioning under climate change.