High intensity perturbations induce an abrupt shift in soil microbial state

In this experiment we tested whether increases in the intensity and frequency of drought pulses can trigger an abrupt and persistent shift in the structural and functional attributes of natural grassland soil microbial communities. We carried out an incubation experiment whereby we imposed a matrix of drought intensity and frequency treatments on a natural grassland soil. Microbial responses were assessed with a broad range of taxonomic and functional attributes of microbial communities over an extended period of time after returning soils to their original moisture condition.