Microbial diversity is expected to increase with tree species diversity, being highest in mixed conifer forests, and the distribution of soil microbial communities is spatially heterogeneous
In this study, we selected three forest types (Quercus acutissima(QA), Pinus tabulaeformis(PT), and Coniferous and broad-leaved mixed forest(Pinus tabulaeformis and Quercus acutissima) (MF)in Qijiahe Forest Farm, Zhongtiao Mountainto investigate soil microbial diversity and composition in different forest types and at different soil depths. Specifically, we address two overarching questions: (i) How do soil properties, microbial diversity and composition change among forest types? (ii) Which soil physicochemical properties significantly influence the structure of microbial communities?