Karst rocky desertification does not erode ectomycorrhizal fungal species richness but alters microbial community structure

There are growing concerns regarding the restoration of karst rocky desertification (KRD) areas. However, the soil conditions and its residing microorganisms, which are essential for the plants, remain largely unclear. We studied soil characteristics and microbial communities in natural forests (non-KRD) and shrubs with eroded soil and surface soil run-off, using Illumina Miseq sequencing. Our results showed that despite KRD reduced soil fertility and altered microbial community structures, microbial diversity did not diminish. Interestingly, bacterial OTU richness and diversity were greater in the KRD areas than in the non-KRD areas, which had relatively greater plant density and diversity. Fungal OTU richness and diversity remained unchanged by KRD. Although the KRD areas had been clear-cut and trees were mostly absent, ectomycorrhizal fungi did not differ in diversity and relative abundance between the two land types, indicating that the KRD shrubs hosted surprisingly diverse and abundant ectomycorrhizal fungi. Our results highlight the highly diverse microbes under environmental and anthropogenic stresses in KRD areas. Despite the fact that degraded soil properties and an altered microbial community structure remain, KRD did not erode ectomycorrhizal fungal species richness, which is crucial in the revegetation of trees in KRD areas.