Comparative Ecological and Metagenomic Characterisation of Wild Legume Habitats in Bulgaria: Kaliakra, Strandzha, and Eastern Rhodopes
Wild relatives of cultivated legumes represent valuable genetic resources for crop improvement, ecosystem resilience, and sustainable agriculture. This study presents a comparative ecological and metagenomic assessment of three biogeographically distinct regions in Bulgaria: Kaliakra, Strandzha, and the Eastern Rhodopes, where populations of wild legume species, including Pisum elatius, Cicer montbrettii, Vicia incisa, and Lupinus spp. occur. Field expeditions were conducted during flowering and seed maturation phases, followed by rhizosphere soil sampling and high-throughput sequencing targeting bacterial 16S rRNA and fungal ITS regions. Soil physicochemical parameters, microbial diversity indices, and taxonomic profiles were compared across regions. Fungal communities also differed significantly, with Kaliakra showing dominance of Nectriaceae, Strandzha exhibiting higher evenness, and the Eastern Rhodopes presenting intermediate diversity.