AUTHOR=Cao Xiaoqing , Xia Kai , Zhao Hongfei , Deng Pengfei , Teng Zhen , Xu Xiaoniu 

TITLE=Soil organic carbon, pH, and ammonium nitrogen controlled changes in bacterial community structure and functional groups after forest conversion

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Forests and Global Change

VOLUME=Volume 7 - 2024

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/forests-and-global-change/articles/10.3389/ffgc.2024.1331672

DOI=10.3389/ffgc.2024.1331672

ISSN=2624-893X

ABSTRACT=Land-use changes have a significant impact on soil properties in forests, which is an area of concern.Therefore, the effects of changing forest types on soil microbial communities and their functions in northern subtropical forest regions need to be further researched. We conducted a study in Jingde County, Anhui Province, China, where we analyzed the effects of converting a secondary masson pine (Pinus massoniana, PM) forest to plantations of slash pine (Pinus elliottii, PE) and Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata, CL). The study found that converting coniferous secondary forests to coniferous plantations resulted in a notable increase in soil pH and a decrease in nitrate nitrogen and organic carbon contents.Additionally, soil microbial diversity increased significantly, and microbial community structure changed, particularly in the topsoil. These changes might affect the C-and N-cycling mediated by soil bacteria. The analysis revealed a significant decrease in the abundance of functional groups associated with C-cycling and a significant increase in the abundance of functional groups associated with N-cycling, particularly those associated with denitrification. Soil organic carbon, pH, and ammonium nitrogen were the most critical variables affecting changes in the soil microbial community. These findings provide valuable information for ecological restoration and future sustainable forest management.