Paper · 2026 · Journal of Plant Ecology

Effects of soil bacterial community composition and function on tree seedling establishment during subalpine forest succession

Xiaohu Wang; Wenqiang Zhao; Yutian Wu; et al.

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citations
2
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Open access · cc-by-nc

Abstract

Abstract Plant‒soil microbe interactions play a significant role in community dynamics. While bacteria play important roles in driving plant‒soil feedback (PSF), which regulates grassland succession, it remains unclear how bacteria-mediated PSF influences tree seedling establishment during forest succession. A pot experiment of four tree seedlings (fast-growing broadleaf Betula platyphylla and Betula albosinensis, and slow-growing coniferous Picea asperata and Abies faxoniana), using sterilized soil inoculated with rooting zone soils from dominant plant species at the early, mid- and late-successional stages in a subalpine forest, was conducted in a greenhouse. Plant biomass, soil bacterial communities, and soil chemical properties were measured. Broadleaf experienced stronger negative biotic feedbacks, while coniferous generated more positive biotic feedbacks, especially in mid- and late-successional inoculated soils. Controlled pot experiments demonstrate that broadleaf biomass was correlated positively with the relative abundance of oligotrophic bacteria but negatively with copiotrophic bacteria, while this trend was opposite in coniferous. Oligotrophs, namely, Alphaproteobacteria (nitrogen-fixing bacteria) and Chloroflexi (nitrite oxidizing bacteria), were the dominant influential factors of the variations in broadleaf and coniferous biomass, respectively. These results indicate that the benefit of bacteria on tree seedling establishment is species specific. It can be inferred that plant nutritional requirements and pathogen resistance among plants with different life-history strategies may alter the composition and function of bacteria, thus alleviating soil nutrient limitation and plant‒soil microbe nutrient competition. Our findings provide new insights into the potential role of bacterial functional groups in shaping the PSFs of late-successional tree seedlings.

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Claims 8

Observationobservedoriginal resultnegativemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Broadleaf tree seedlings experienced stronger negative biotic feedbacks from successional soils.

Taxon
Broadleafe0
Outcome
negative biotic feedbackse0
Direction
strongere0

Verbatim

t0

“tree seedling establishment”

✓ located verbatim in the source · title, characters 64–91 · show in text ↑
e0

“Broadleaf experienced stronger negative biotic feedbacks”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 757–813 · show in text ↑
Observationobservedoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Coniferous tree seedlings generated more positive biotic feedbacks, especially in mid- and late-successional inoculated soils.

Taxon
coniferouse0
Outcome
positive biotic feedbackse0
Direction
moree0
Qualifier
especially in mid- and late-successional inoculated soilse0

Verbatim

t0

“tree seedling establishment”

✓ located verbatim in the source · title, characters 64–91 · show in text ↑
e0

“coniferous generated more positive biotic feedbacks, especially in mid- and late-successional inoculated soils”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 821–931 · show in text ↑
Associationobservedoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Broadleaf biomass correlated positively with the relative abundance of oligotrophic bacteria.

Taxon
broadleafe0
Interactor
oligotrophic bacteriae0other
Outcome
biomasse0
Direction
positivelye0

Verbatim

t0

“tree seedling establishment”

✓ located verbatim in the source · title, characters 64–91 · show in text ↑
e0

“broadleaf biomass was correlated positively with the relative abundance of oligotrophic bacteria but negatively with copiotrophic bacteria”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 977–1115 · show in text ↑
Associationobservedoriginal resultnegativemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Broadleaf biomass correlated negatively with the relative abundance of copiotrophic bacteria.

Taxon
broadleafe0
Interactor
copiotrophic bacteriae0other
Outcome
biomasse0
Direction
negativelye0

Verbatim

t0

“tree seedling establishment”

✓ located verbatim in the source · title, characters 64–91 · show in text ↑
e0

“broadleaf biomass was correlated positively with the relative abundance of oligotrophic bacteria but negatively with copiotrophic bacteria”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 977–1115 · show in text ↑
Associationobservedoriginal resultmixedmeasured

Claim · model-written summary

For coniferous seedlings the correlation trend of biomass with oligotrophic and copiotrophic bacteria was opposite to that of broadleaf.

Taxon
coniferouse0
Interactor
oligotrophic bacteriae0other
Outcome
biomasse0
Direction
oppositee0

Verbatim

t0

“tree seedling establishment”

✓ located verbatim in the source · title, characters 64–91 · show in text ↑
e0

“broadleaf biomass was correlated positively with the relative abundance of oligotrophic bacteria but negatively with copiotrophic bacteria, while this trend was opposite in coniferous”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 977–1160 · show in text ↑
Mechanismauthor interpretationoriginal resultmeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Alphaproteobacteria, nitrogen-fixing oligotrophs, were the dominant influential factor of variation in broadleaf biomass.

Taxon
broadleafe0
Interactor
AlphaproteobacteriaAlphaproteobacteriae0other
Outcome
biomasse0

Verbatim

t0

“tree seedling establishment”

✓ located verbatim in the source · title, characters 64–91 · show in text ↑
e0

“Oligotrophs, namely, Alphaproteobacteria (nitrogen-fixing bacteria) and Chloroflexi (nitrite oxidizing bacteria), were the dominant influential factors of the variations in broadleaf and coniferous biomass, respectively”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1162–1381 · show in text ↑
Mechanismauthor interpretationoriginal resultmeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Chloroflexi, nitrite-oxidizing oligotrophs, were the dominant influential factor of variation in coniferous biomass.

Taxon
coniferouse0
Interactor
ChloroflexiChloroflexotae0other
Outcome
biomasse0

Verbatim

t0

“tree seedling establishment”

✓ located verbatim in the source · title, characters 64–91 · show in text ↑
e0

“Oligotrophs, namely, Alphaproteobacteria (nitrogen-fixing bacteria) and Chloroflexi (nitrite oxidizing bacteria), were the dominant influential factors of the variations in broadleaf and coniferous biomass, respectively”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1162–1381 · show in text ↑
Observationauthor interpretationoriginal resultmeasured

Claim · model-written summary

The benefit of bacteria on tree seedling establishment is species specific.

Taxon
tree seedlinge0
Outcome
benefit of bacteria on tree seedling establishmente0
Qualifier
species specifice0

Verbatim

e0

“the benefit of bacteria on tree seedling establishment is species specific”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1411–1485 · show in text ↑