Rare and Abundant <scp><i>phoD</i></scp>‐Harboring Bacteria Mediate the Mineralization of Organic Phosphorus Fractions in Soil Aggregates During Cut Slope Restoration

ABSTRACT Phosphorus (P) is the key nutritional element in the soil of cut road slopes undergoing ecological restoration, and the transformation of organic P (Po) is a crucial part of the P cycle. However, the role of phoD ‐harboring bacteria in driving the mineralization of Po fractions in road slope soil aggregates is unclear. This study analyzed road slope soils that had undergone 7, 11, and 14 years of restoration in the western Sichuan Plateau of China. We examined the differences and associations between the Po fraction content, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, and community composition of rare and abundant phoD ‐harboring bacteria in soil aggregates of four particle sizes (0.053–0.25, 0.25–2, 0.053–0.25, and, &gt; 2 mm). The results showed that NaHCO 3 ‐extracted Po (NaHCO 3 ‐Po) content in soil aggregates increased with restoration years, while NaOH‐extracted Po (NaOH‐Po) content decreased. ALP activity in soil aggregates increased with restoration years, but there was no significant relationship between ALP activity with the phoD ‐harboring bacterial community. There were significant differences in the composition of rare and abundant phoD ‐harboring bacterial communities during slope restoration. Soil moisture, pH, organic carbon, and the C:P ratio in soil aggregates were the primary factors affecting the distribution of the Po fractions and the phoD ‐harboring bacterial community. NaHCO 3 ‐Po and NaOH‐Po in soil aggregates were likely the main substrates for ALP‐mediated Po mineralization. More genera were involved in Po mineralization in slope soils restored for 14 years than in soils restored for 7 and 11 years, and rare phoD ‐harboring genera were more actively involved in Po mineralization than abundant phoD ‐harboring genera. This study provides some theoretical basis for P effectiveness enhancement and P management during slope soil restoration.