Impact of microbial diversity and pesticide application on plant growth, litter decomposition and carbon substrate use

Bacteria and fungi are key components of soil biodiversity and are essential for organic matter decomposition and nutrient cycling in terrestrial ecosystems. So far it is unclear whether pesticide application influences microbial communities and the contribution of microbes to soil functioning and plant growth. To address this, we manipulated soil microbial diversity and created a gradient, ranging from an average of 17 fungal taxa and 312 bacterial taxa to 77 and 1000 taxa, respectively. Overall, this study suggests that preserving the diversity of bacterial and fungal communities within the soil ecosystem is key to support essential soil functions such as organic matter degradation, and that pesticide applications could impair the beneficial effects of fungal richness on organic matter degradation.