Introduction

Soils are a critical component in the cycling of carbon, nitrogen, and other elements. Soils contain about three times the carbon (C) stocks as either terrestrial vegetation or the atmosphere (Schlesinger and Bernhardt 2013), but soil C is sensitive to changes in temperature, moisture, and nutrient availability. These physical and chemical properties vary by ecosystem type and both temperature and moisture gradients are predicted to shift with global climate change (IPCC 2013). Understanding these interactions is the first step to mitigating potentially detrimental anthropogenic impacts now and in the future.