MICINSNOW Pinus
Here, we studied fungal and bacterial community compositional differences in (sub-)alpine Pinus cembra forest depending on snow-cover. Snow free and snow-covered soil samples were collected from different alpine and sub-alpine P. cembra forest locations in the Austrian Alps (Patscherkofel, Kuhtai and Praxmar). Their fungal and bacterial community compositions were investigated using Illumina Miseq sequencing. Soil microbiota typical for P. cembra forest was researched, and similarities and differences among snow free and snow-covered soils were identified. Using network analysis, fungal-bacterial associations typical for snow free and snow-covered P. cembra forest soils were studied.