A decade evaluation of microbial community structure in developing catchment soils and ephemeral stream sediments

Understanding microbial community dynamics during ecosystem succession, especially in landscapes recovering from destructive land use, remains limited. In our study, we took advantage of a 6-hectare experimental catchment, Chicken Creek, in Lower Lusatia, Germany. We evaluated the microbial community structural changes within ephemeral stream sediments and adjacent soils between 3 and 13 years after the catchment construction in 2005. The catchment has developed under undisturbed conditions with major morphology, hydrology, and vegetation transformation within the studied period, offering a unique opportunity to explore the dynamics of microbial communities during ecosystem development.