Contrasting Patterns and Drivers of Soil Fungal Communities between Two Ecosystems Divided by the Treeline

The treeline is a sensitive region of the terrestrial ecosystem responding to climate change. However, studies on the composition and formation mechanisms of soil fungal communities across the treeline are still lacking. In this study, we investigated the patterns of soil fungal community composition and interactions among functional guilds above and below the treeline using Illumina high-throughput sequencing and ecological network analysis. The results showed that there were significant differences in the soil environment and soil fungal community composition between the two ecosystems above and below the treeline. At the local scale of this study, geographic distance and environmental factors affected the composition of the soil fungal community. Soil temperature was an important environmental predictor of soil fungal community composition. Species in soil fungal communities in the subalpine meadow were more closely related to each other compared to those in the montane forest. Furthermore, the soil fungal community in montane forest was more stable. Our findings contribute to a better understanding of how mountain ecological functions respond to global climate change.

Automated summary

The study found significant differences in soil fungal community composition above and below the treeline, with geographic distance and environmental factors influencing the composition. Soil temperature was identified as an important environmental predictor for soil fungal community composition. Species in the subalpine meadow soil fungal communities were more closely related to each other compared to those in the montane forest, with the latter showing greater stability. These findings contribute to a better understanding of how mountain ecological functions respond to global climate change.