Microbial communities across seasonal variation in shrub encroached drylands

Microbes play critical roles in dryland ecosystems, driving nutrient cycling, soil stability, and plant interactions. Despite their ecological importance, few studies have examined how microbial communities respond to vegetation changes in arid landscapes. The overarching goal of this study was to investigate how microbial communities respond to both biotic (i.e., vegetation) and abiotic (i.e., seasonality) factors, how they assemble in a changing landscape, and which taxa may be particularly responsive to shrub encroachment or even facilitating this transformation.