Changes in precipitation patterns alter aggregate stability-related cations and micronutrients in a desert grassland

Altered rainfall caused by climate change affects soil cations and aggregate stability and thus affecting the soil productivity of ecosystems. However, little is known regarding the changes of soil nutrients and aggregate stability with rainfall change in desert grassland. To investigate the effect of rainfall on the soil nutrients and aggregate stability, cations of Ca2+, Mg2+, K+, Na+ and Al3+ and micronutrients of Fe2+, Mn2+, Cu2+ and Zn2+ in bulk soil and three soil aggregate sizes classes (microaggregate, < 0.25 mm; small macroaggregate, 0.25–2 mm; large macroaggregate, > 2 mm) from rainfall manipulation (i.e., ambient rainfall amount as a control, ± 20