Effect of forest structural attributes on soil microbial diversity in mixed temperate forests

Forest structures create diverse ecological niches that sustain biodiversity across various taxa. Despite their ecological importance, the relationship between forest structure and belowground biodiversity, particularly soil microbial communities (bacterial and fungal), remains underexplored. This study investigates how forest structural attributes affect soil microbial diversity and community composition in a mixed temperate forest in the Bavarian Forest National Park, Germany.

Forest structure variables, including stand-level attributes, structural complexity, and understory configuration, together with selected soil properties, were derived from field measurements and LiDAR data and used as predictors. Soil microbial diversity was assessed through high-throughput eDNA sequencing across 85 plots.

Forest structural attributes explained significant variations in soil microbial diversity, but less so for community composition. Tree size (height and diameter) had the most consistent effect on both diversity and composition, while structural complexity primarily influenced community composition.

Forest structural attributes offer valuable insights into soil microbial diversity patterns. This study underscores the potential for integrating remote sensing and eDNA data to monitor and map belowground biodiversity on larger spatial scales.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11104-025-07907-4.