Prolonged water limitation shifts the soil microbiome from copiotrophic to oligotrophic lifestyles in Scots pine mesocosms.

ABSTRACT: Reductions in soil moisture due to prolonged episodes of drought can potentially affect whole forest ecosystems, including soil microorganisms and their functions. We investigated how the composition of soil microbial communities is affected by prolonged episodes of water limitation. In a mesocosm experiment with Scots pine saplings and natural forest soil maintained at different levels of soil water content over 2 years, we assessed shifts in prokaryotic and fungal communities and related these to changes in plant development and soil properties. Prolonged water limitation induced progressive changes in soil microbial community composition. The dissimilarity between prokaryotic communities at different levels of water limitation increased over time regardless of the recurrent seasons, whi

SUBMITTER: Jaeger ACH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10866073 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature