Repeated drying and rewetting cycles accelerate bacterial growth recovery after rewetting

Abstract Two patterns of bacterial growth response upon drying and rewetting (DRW) soils have previously been identified. Bacterial can either start increasing immediately after in a linear fashion (“type 1” response) or exponentially lag period 2” response). The effect repeated DRW cycles was studied three with different single cycle 1”, “type short long period). were exposed to seven cycles, respiration monitored 1, 2, 3, 5, 7 cycles. Exposure shifted the from pattern, resulting an accelerated recovery pre-disturbance rate. that initially had also tended recover faster each subsequent cycle. indicated same transition pattern. Our results show exposure will shape future which might be mediated by shift species composition, physiological adjustment, evolutionary changes, combination three.