Transition of Ethiopian highland forests to agriculture-dominated landscapes shifts the soil microbial community composition.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Land use changes and related land management practices significantly alter soil physicochemical properties; however, their effects on the soil microbial community structure are still unclear. In this study, we used automated ribosomal intergenic spacer analysis to determine the fungal and bacterial community composition in soils from different land use areas in the Ethiopian highlands. Soil samples were collected from five areas with different land uses, natural forest, eucalyptus plantation, exclosure, grassland and cropland, which had all historically been natural forest.

Results

Our results showed a significant shift in the soil bacterial and fungal community composition in response to land use change. We also identified soil physicochemical factors correspondi

SUBMITTER: Delelegn YT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6298011 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature