Microbial biomass and community structure are crucial for soil carbon cycling, yet studies often overlook subsoil dynamics despite its significant organic carbon content.
Assessing microbial communities at various depths in three forest types in southwest China revealed that organic carbon and nitrogen levels decrease with depth, while microbial biomass also declines significantly.
The community structure shifts from a Gram-positive dominant system in nutrient-rich conditions to one that favors fungi as soil depth increases, indicating distinct microbial characteristics across different forest types.