Spatial distribution of soil bacterial communities around Ziziphus lotus vegetation clusters in semi-arid Moroccan ecosystems

This study examines the spatial distribution of soil bacterial communities around Ziziphus lotus vegetation clusters in semi-arid Moroccan ecosystems, using 16S rRNA metabarcoding. By analyzing 84 soil samples from varying distances (0 m, 3 m, 6 m) from Z. lotus patches in barley-planted and non-planted fields, we identified distinct microbial diversity patterns. Key findings emphasize the role of Z. lotus in shaping microbial communities, with alpha diversity peaking at intermediate distances and significant spatial structuring of bacterial taxa, including a core microbiome shared across all distances.