[Response of Soil Multifunctionality to Reduced Microbial Diversity]

Area of Science:

• Soil Microbiology
• Ecology
• Biogeochemistry

Context:

• Soil microbial communities are vital for ecosystem functions and biogeochemical cycles.
• Global changes like land use intensification and climate change are reducing soil microbial diversity.
• The impact of decreased microbial diversity on soil multifunctionality remains unclear.

Purpose:

• To investigate the effect of reduced soil microbial diversity on soil multifunctionality.
• To explore the impact of decreased bacterial, fungal, and protist diversity on ecosystem functions.
• To identify key microbial taxa influencing soil multifunctionality.

Summary:

• Soil microbial alpha diversity was experimentally reduced using the dilution-to-extinction method.
• Reduced microbial diversity, particularly of bacteria and fungi, significantly lowered soil multifunctionality.
• Specific microbial groups (e.g., *Solacocozyma*, *Holtermaniella*, *Rudaea*) and bacterial interactions were identified as key drivers of multifunctionality.

Impact:

• Demonstrates a significant negative linear relationship between soil microbial diversity and multifunctionality.
• Highlights the critical role of microbial community structure and key taxa in regulating ecosystem functions.
• Provides evidence supporting the importance of maintaining soil microbial diversity for sustainable agricultural ecosystems.