Microbial community assembly processes drive multiple nutrient cycling during the early succession of a secondary forest

We collected soil from seedlings under different canopy densities to access the relationship between multiple nutrient cycling (MNC) and micronbial community assemely processes. The soil multiple nutrient cycling (MNC) index was calculated based on seven nutrient variables measured: SAP, SAK, NH4+–N, NO3−–N, SOC, TN, and TP using a Z-score transformation and then averaged them. We hypothesized that: (1) stochastic processes dominated bacterial community, while deterministic processes dominated fungal community during early succession; (2) MNC indices were higher in FG and FE than those in MCD and HCD, owing to more favorable light, heat, and water conditions, (3) bacterial and fungal community assembly processes exerted distinct driving effects on MNC.