Amplicon sequencing reveals different microbial communities between growing and non-growing seasons in the soils of Pinus armandi forestland in Shennongjia, China

Soil microbial communities are susceptible to climate change due to seasonal alternation. To explore the effects of seasonal variation on soil nutrients and microorganisms, we sequenced the 16S rDNA and 18S rDNA genes of the distinct regions (16S V3-V4, 18S V4) to precisely identify the soil microbial communities in the growing season (Par_S) and non-growing season (Par_W) in Pinus armandi forestland, in Shennongjia forest region, China. Eight chemical properties of the soil samples were also determined to elucidate the correlations between the microbial communities and soil characteristics. In Par_S, we identified 36 phyla 348 genera of bacteria, and 58 phyla 197 genera fungi. Par_W’s corresponding values were 39 phyla 471 genera and 59 phyla 259 genera, respectively. Par_S owned more abundant bacterial communities than Par_W. The relative abundance of most bacteria and fungi differed significantly between Par_S and Par_W. Most of the top 35 abundant bacterial genera and fungal genera were enriched in Par_S and Par_W, respectively. The soil properties differed significantly between Par_S and Par_W. They were significantly correlated with the variations in the relative abundance of the top 10 bacterial and fungal genera in both Par_S and Par_W. Rokubacteriales and RB41 were dominant among Par_S’s top 10 bacterial genera, and were related to the RR of the soil. Sphingomonas was dominant among Par_W’s top 10 bacterial genera. Magnoliophyta, Haplotaxida and Acari were dominant among Par_S’s top 10 fungal genera, and were related to RR, TK, HN, TP and AP. Archaeorhizomyces was dominant among Par_W’s top 10 bacterial genera. For the top 10 abundant bacterial genera in Par_S, the relative abundance of Nitrospira was negatively correlated with the contents of TN and AK, and MND1 was negatively correlated with SOM. Regarding the top 10 abundant bacterial genera in Par_W, SBR1031 was positively correlated with TP and AP, and MND1 was positively correlated with AP. Regarding the top 10 abundant fungal genera in Par_S, only Acari had a positive correlation with TK.