Land use changes alters the diversity and composition of soil bacteria in an Andean landscape of northern Ecuador

The diversity of edaphic bacterial communities from a land use gradient in an Andean landscape of northern Ecuador was compared by using metagenomics tools. In addition, the relationship across structure and composition of the community, ecological functions and the physical and chemical properties of the soil were explored. The study found that different land uses exert changes in the diversity, structure and composition of the soil microbiota. Pasture and native forest exhibited highest taxonomic and functional diversity than planted forest and mono-cropping. In addition, significant taxonomic and phylogenetic changes were observed at phylum and genus level across typologies which in turns affects soil functionality and nutrient availability. Results from this study could be integrated to other key elements to further understand the effect of land use change over the diversity of several soil trophic groups such as invertebrates, fungi and plants, in addition to uncover the impact of the ecosystem services derived from this diversity.