Soil physicochemical conditions
Organic carbon and pH were both higher in low aridity soils compared
with high aridity soils. Sterilisation increased ammonium levels in high
aridity soils, and potassium for low aridity soils (Figure S14).
Nitrate, phosphorus, sulphur and electrical conductivity did not
statistically differ across treatments.
At harvest, most soil physicochemical variables showed differences
across treatments, except for ammonium, nitrate and electrical
conductivity, which did not differ (Figure S14). The greatest
differences were increases in phosphorus in sterilised soils, higher
potassium in the high aridity soils, higher organic carbon in the low
aridity soils, and higher pH in the low aridity soils (Figure S14).