Soil microorganism distributions depend on habitat partitioning of topography in a temperate mountain forest

This study provides an in-depth examination of the impact of topographic habitat on the structural composition and spatial distribution characteristics of bacterial and fungal communities. The research focused on three distinct terrain habitats: valley, midslope, and ridge. Our results indicate that soil bacterial and fungal networks, along with major environmental factors, shape the composition and distribution of soil microbial communities across different terrain habitats. We found that fungi exhibit stronger habitat specificity than bacteria and are more likely to thrive in valleys with higher water content. Furthermore, major environmental factors significantly influence the distribution of soil microbial communities. These findings could inform the development of more effective forest soil management and conservation strategies tailored to different topographic habitats.