Heterogeneity and its drivers of microbial communities and diversity in six typical soils under two different land uses in tropical and subtropical southern China

Soil microenvironment is a combination of climate, biological matter, and earth parent material, which has unique characteristics and is considered to have distinctive microbial resources. In this study, we collected soil samples from farmland and woodland of six soil types in southern China to explore the soil microbial structure and functional characteristics of different soil types and land use via a high-throughput sequencing technology. The soil microbial composition was greatly affected by soil types (Adonis, P < 0,001) and land-use types (Adonis, P < 0,01). Furthermore, the network analysis indicated the different interaction patterns of soil microbial communities in different soil types. The keystone taxa identified by the network analysis were highly correlated soil N, S, and P-cycle, and soil microbial correlation may link to activation of soil functional profile. Edaphic variables such as soil pH and total phosphorus (TP) had contrasting effects on microbial diversity. The results further highlighted the importance of the niche-based habitat and function-oriented control on the structure of six typical soil microbial communities under two different land uses in southern China. • N, P, and S cycles are of great significance to assess soil quality. • Edaphic and environmental factors significantly influence soil microbial diversity. • Proteobacteria and Acidobacteria were dominant bacterial phyla in all six soil types. • Soil types and land uses had a great impact on the microbial structures.