Agrochemistry
Global patterns and drivers of soil microbial nitrogen and phosphorus use efficiency
A Nature Communications study estimated global soil microbial nitrogen-use efficiency (NUE) and phosphorus-use efficiency (PUE), with mean values of 0.60 and 0.35 respectively.
Published on March 17, 2026 in Nature Communications, the study compiled global estimates (n=2012 for NUE; n=3419 for PUE). Authors report that average microbial nitrogen-use efficiency is nearly twice phosphorus-use efficiency.
Soil organic carbon (SOC) was the strongest predictor for both metrics, with higher SOC linked to higher efficiency. Spatial upscaling showed the lowest NUE values in tundra and boreal forests, while PUE varied less across biomes.