Increasing tree phylogenetic diversity stimulates microbial functional potential in a subtropical forest

Abstract Soil microbial functions are closely related to ecosystem productivity, carbon sequestration and their responses to global change. Tree phylogenetic diversity (TPD) has been found to impact microbial community composition, diversity and functions, but how it modulates the linkage between microbial community facets and functions remains unclear. Here, 45 plots covering a natural gradient of TPD were selected in a subtropical forest of southwest China to explore how increasing TPD impacts soil microbial community facets and microbial functional potential. The microbial functional potential was evaluated based on the abundances of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus cycling-related functional genes. Soil fungal alpha diversity increased significantly, but bacterial alpha diversity did not change as TPD increased. Both soil microbial network complexity and stability improved significantly with increasing TPD. Ultimately, increasing TPD promoted soil microbial functional potential by stimulating soil carbon and nitrogen availability, microbial keystone diversity and network stability collectively. These findings emphasize the critical roles of keystone taxa and network stability as microbial factors in stimulating soil microbial function in response to increasing TPD. Therefore, it is strongly recommended to increase TPD so as to stimulate soil microbial functions and other ecosystem functions when implementing afforestation or ecological restoration projects.