Microorganisms drive ecological succession by shaping soil structure, nutrient cycles, and plant community dynamics over time.
In cultivated soils, microbial communities are dominated by fast-growing, copiotrophic bacteria and fungi that thrive on readily available organic matter from crop residues and fertilizers.
✔ As agricultural activity declines, soil microbial diversity increases, favoring decomposers and nitrogen-fixing bacteria that enhance soil organic matter accumulation and fertility.
✔ In early successional stages, pioneer plants establish symbiotic relationships with mycorrhizal fungi and rhizosphere bacteria, accelerating nutrient availability and stabilizing soil.
Over time, fungal dominance increases, with saprotrophic and mycorrhizal fungi playing a key role in decomposing complex organic compounds and supporting perennial plant colonization.
In grasslands and transitional woodlands, microbial communities shift to favor lignin-degrading fungi and actinobacteria, which facilitate the breakdown of woody materials and promote deeper root systems.
In mature boreal forests, slow-growing, oligotrophic microorganisms dominate, relying on recalcitrant organic matter and forming complex networks with trees through ectomycorrhizal associations.
As succession progresses, microbial-driven processes regulate carbon sequestration, soil acidification, and nutrient retention, shaping the long-term stability and resilience of the ecosystem.
Image: following stages of ecological succession / soil cores demonstrating the development of a litter and humus layer on sandy soil in regenerating boreal forest after clearance for agriculture (credits: Beth Evans).
Source/Credits: Michal Slota
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