Cover crop influence over soil microbiomes varies by plant functional group and is nutrient-dependent

Cover crops are commonly used in farming practices to improve soil structure and nutrient retention for plant uptake. As different mixtures of cover crops are implemented in fields, it is unclear how these may affect the belowground soil microbiomes and their contributions to nutrient uptake. In this study, we assessed soil microbial trajectories when three common cover crops with distinct life-history traits were grown in monocultures or in mixtures across different nitrogen amendment concentrations.