Shifting community assembly mechanisms in soil eukaryotes over successional time and their implications for restoration

Abstract Integration of soil biodiversity restoration into reforestation strategies is important to accelerate the restoration process given the interplay between belowground and plant community dynamics. Research on the mechanisms underlying the temporal changes that occur in soil communities has b...

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Main Authors: Farzad Aslani, Leho Tedersoo, Sofia I. F. Gomes, Sergei Põlme, Sten Anslan, T. Martijn Bezemer
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-07-01
Series:Scientific Reports
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-11507-8
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author Farzad Aslani
Leho Tedersoo
Sofia I. F. Gomes
Sergei Põlme
Sten Anslan
T. Martijn Bezemer
author_facet Farzad Aslani
Leho Tedersoo
Sofia I. F. Gomes
Sergei Põlme
Sten Anslan
T. Martijn Bezemer
author_sort Farzad Aslani
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Integration of soil biodiversity restoration into reforestation strategies is important to accelerate the restoration process given the interplay between belowground and plant community dynamics. Research on the mechanisms underlying the temporal changes that occur in soil communities has been limited, and this is especially true for eukaryotes. Understanding these processes can help us to manipulate soil communities in a way that promotes recovery and stability. Here, we test the importance of selection, dispersal, and drift in structuring community composition of taxonomic and functional groups of soil eukaryotes in croplands and planted forests, and their relationships with successional time. We observed a link between functional/taxonomic groups of soil eukaryotes, the importance of ecological processes in their community compositional patterns, and successional time. To optimize the effectiveness of soil restoration, we suggest implementing additional measures that target specific groups of soil organisms, account for the key ecological processes structuring their communities, and address how these processes correlate with successional time. Our findings advance both theoretical understanding and practical guidelines for restoring soil biodiversity.
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spelling doaj-art-e367accc03c0486f8b4ceb4ffac3684c2025-08-20T03:05:27ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-07-0115111110.1038/s41598-025-11507-8Shifting community assembly mechanisms in soil eukaryotes over successional time and their implications for restorationFarzad Aslani0Leho Tedersoo1Sofia I. F. Gomes2Sergei Põlme3Sten Anslan4T. Martijn Bezemer5Above-Belowground Interactions Group, Institute of Biology, Leiden UniversityInstitute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of TartuAbove-Belowground Interactions Group, Institute of Biology, Leiden UniversityInstitute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of TartuDepartment of Biology, College of Science, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman UniversityAbove-Belowground Interactions Group, Institute of Biology, Leiden UniversityAbstract Integration of soil biodiversity restoration into reforestation strategies is important to accelerate the restoration process given the interplay between belowground and plant community dynamics. Research on the mechanisms underlying the temporal changes that occur in soil communities has been limited, and this is especially true for eukaryotes. Understanding these processes can help us to manipulate soil communities in a way that promotes recovery and stability. Here, we test the importance of selection, dispersal, and drift in structuring community composition of taxonomic and functional groups of soil eukaryotes in croplands and planted forests, and their relationships with successional time. We observed a link between functional/taxonomic groups of soil eukaryotes, the importance of ecological processes in their community compositional patterns, and successional time. To optimize the effectiveness of soil restoration, we suggest implementing additional measures that target specific groups of soil organisms, account for the key ecological processes structuring their communities, and address how these processes correlate with successional time. Our findings advance both theoretical understanding and practical guidelines for restoring soil biodiversity.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-11507-8
spellingShingle Farzad Aslani
Leho Tedersoo
Sofia I. F. Gomes
Sergei Põlme
Sten Anslan
T. Martijn Bezemer
Shifting community assembly mechanisms in soil eukaryotes over successional time and their implications for restoration
Scientific Reports
title Shifting community assembly mechanisms in soil eukaryotes over successional time and their implications for restoration
title_full Shifting community assembly mechanisms in soil eukaryotes over successional time and their implications for restoration
title_fullStr Shifting community assembly mechanisms in soil eukaryotes over successional time and their implications for restoration
title_full_unstemmed Shifting community assembly mechanisms in soil eukaryotes over successional time and their implications for restoration
title_short Shifting community assembly mechanisms in soil eukaryotes over successional time and their implications for restoration
title_sort shifting community assembly mechanisms in soil eukaryotes over successional time and their implications for restoration
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-11507-8
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