Abstract

Soil carbon represents the largest terrestrial carbon pool, containing approximately 1,550 Pg of carbon globally. Extreme weather events, including droughts, floods, heatwaves, and intense precipitation events, are becoming increasingly frequent and severe due to anthropogenic climate change. These events significantly alter soil carbon dynamics through multiple mechanisms including changes in microbial activity, root respiration, soil aggregation, and organic matter decomposition rates. This paper synthesizes current understanding of how extreme weather events affect soil carbon fluxes, examines the underlying biogeochemical mechanisms, and discusses implications for global carbon cycling and climate change mitigation strategies. Evidence suggests that extreme events generally promote carbon losses from soils through enhanced decomposition and reduced carbon inputs, potentially creating positive feedback loops that accelerate climate change. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for developing effective soil carbon management strategies and improving Earth system models used for climate projections.