Metagenomic analysis of Oxfordshire grasslands

The conversion of biodiverse landscapes such as species-rich grasslands to intensive arable cultivation may lead to a decline in microbial diversity, posing a threat to the long-term fertility of native soils. Previous laboratory and experimental studies are conflicting. Some have recorded declines in overall microbial diversity and particular taxa under intensified cultivation while others report no change in diversity or even increased abundance of these same groups. However, few results are based on actual agroecological systems under active farmer management, the specific taxa examined are often limited, and whether the effects of agricultural intensification can be reversed is still unknown. Our research used Illumina sequencing of the bacterial 16S and fungal ITS?1? regions on soil samples from 36 current and former grassland sites in Oxfordshire, England