Photovoltaic panels have altered soil microbial diversity

Human concerns about fossil fuel depletion, energy security and environmental degradation have driven the rapid development of solar photovoltaic power (PV) generation. Most of the photovoltaic power generation plants are concentrated in desert, grassland and arable land, which means the change of land use type. However, there is still a gap in the research of the PV panel layout on grassland diversity and ecological function. In this study, Illumina high-throughput sequencing technology was used to investigate the effects of PV panel arrangement on grassland plant and soil microbial diversity.