Drought and vegetation restoration lead to shifts in soil microbial diversity and co-occurrence networks in California coastal prairie

Abstract Background and aims Both drought and vegetation restoration can have dramatic effects on plant community composition, but how they influence soil microbial community diversity, structure, and co-occurrence networks remain less well known. Methods To better understand the regulatory mechanisms of drought and vegetation restoration on soil microorganisms, we planted 12 native species in precipitation manipulation experimental plots in an invaded coastal grassland in California, USA. We measured soil bacterial and fungal community composition by amplicon sequencing, and quantified plant species richness and coverage in the third experimental year. Results Our results showed that drought significantly altered soil bacterial diversity and composition; however, neither drought nor vegetation restoration had significant effects on fungal diversity and composition. The control plots had the most cooperative interactions (greatest number of correlations) among bacterial and/or fungal species, while drought plots yielded the most complex co-occurrence network with the highest modularity and clustering coefficient. Structural equation modeling revealed that plant species richness, net gains, and soil moisture played dominant roles in shaping bacterial community structure. Drought and bacterial community structure directly affected fungal community structure. Plant dominant species cover, common species cover, and bacterial diversity were the key drivers in regulating the microbial co-occurrence network complex. Conclusion We conclude that soil bacterial and fungal communities differ in their responses to abiotic and biotic environmental changes, which may weaken the interspecies interactions among soil microorganisms.