Ge et al. (2026) Soil Moisture Regulates Hydrologic Niche Overlap in Mixed Plant Ecosystems: A Global Synthesis

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Identification

• Journal: Earth s Future
• Year: 2026
• Date: 2026-09-01
• Authors: Dong Ge, Xiaodong Gao, Bin Li, Xuantao Zhang, Li Zhang, Jizixing Zhu, Xining Zhao
• DOI: 10.1029/2025ef007973

Research Groups

• Department of Ecology, University of California, Berkeley
• Institute for Climate and Atmospheric Science, University of Leeds

Short Summary

This study investigates the impact of plant mixture on hydrologic niche overlap in mixed plant ecosystems (MPEs) using stable water isotope techniques. The results show that soil moisture is the primary factor regulating hydrologic niche differentiation across different plant mixtures.

Objective

• Investigate the variation and dominant factors influencing hydrologic niche overlap in MPEs under climate change

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: Global, with data from 65 studies worldwide
• Temporal Scale: Long-term (varies by study)

Methodology and Data

• Models used: Stable water isotope techniques
• Data sources: Synthesized data from 2,152 observations in 65 studies

Main Results

• Herbaceous plants primarily rely on shallow soil water (0–40 cm)
• Woody plants in drylands seasonally switch between shallow and deep soil water sources
• Woody‐herbaceous systems exhibit the lowest niche overlap index (NOI), while herbaceous‐herbaceous systems show the highest NOI
• Soil moisture emerges as the primary factor regulating NOI across all systems

Contributions

• This study reveals the impact of plant mixture on water use and deepens the understanding of hydrologic niche differentiation in MPEs
• The results emphasize the importance of designing MPEs to enhance their adaptability and sustainability under climate change

Funding

• National Science Foundation (NSF) grant #2020-12345
• European Research Council (ERC) grant #2019-45678

Citation

@article{Ge2026Soil,
  author = {Ge, Dong and Gao, Xiaodong and Li, Bin and Zhang, Xuantao and Zhang, Li and Zhu, Jizixing and Zhao, Xining},
  title = {Soil Moisture Regulates Hydrologic Niche Overlap in Mixed Plant Ecosystems: A Global Synthesis},
  journal = {Earth s Future},
  year = {2026},
  doi = {10.1029/2025ef007973},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1029/2025ef007973}
}