Drought intensity and frequency shape root-associated microbiomes in a temperate grassland
This project investigates how different dimensions of drought, specifically intensity and frequency, affect root-associated microbial communities in a temperate grassland system. A three-year factorial experiment was conducted using the perennial grass Bromus erectus grown in conspecific and heterospecific communities. Drought treatments manipulated total water input and its temporal distribution under controlled rainout shelter conditions.Root-associated bacterial (16S rRNA gene, V4 region) and fungal (ITS2 region) communities were characterized from fine-root samples collected at the end of the experimental period. Amplicon sequencing was performed using the Illumina NovaSeq 6000 platform. The dataset enables assessment of how drought regimes structure microbial community composition and their potential links to plant traits and performance.