Data from: Roles of soil microbes in shaping the nutrient accumulation of dietary bamboo of giant pandas

Soil microbes play key roles in the nutrient acquisition of plants, and
plant nutrients are a key determinant of herbivore foraging behavior and
nutritional physiology which would further affect their life history
strategies. Giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca), as obligate bamboo
herbivores, rely heavily on bamboo for sustenance. We here evaluate the
potential impact of soil microbes on the dietary bamboo of giant panda by
monitoring bamboo growth dynamics alongside soil properties and microbial
community patterns. Our results revealed that soil bacterial and fungal
composition significantly influence the availability of soil available
phosphorus (AP), ammonium nitrogen (NH4^+-N), and nitrate nitrogen
(NO3^--N). Notably, bacterial and fungal genera associated with nitrogen
(N) and phosphorus (P) acquisition were significantly enriched during the
new shoot season. Higher soil AP and NH4^+-N level were found to
significantly enhance the growth of new bamboo shoots. Combined with the
life histories of giant pandas and the nutrient contents of bamboo, it is
evidenced that the soil microbes provide essential nutritional
foundations for the foraging and reproductive timing of giant pandas
during the new shoot season. This study offers novel
insights into the critical role of soil microbes in the
soil-plant-herbivore system, which plays an indirect role in shaping the
foraging and reproductive strategies of a large mammalian herbivore.