Our Study Reveals That Habitat Degradation Alters Soil Microbial Communities in and Around Ethiopian Church Forests

In Ethiopia, patches of native forest preserved around churches—known as church forests—represent some of the few remaining remnants of natural forest. This study used next-generation sequencing to compare soil microbial communities (bacteria and archaea) across five habitats along a degradation gradient: church forest, state forest, community-managed forest, shrubland, and cropland. 

The results showed that less disturbed forests hosted more beneficial microbes, whereas degraded habitats were characterized by a shift toward stress-tolerant taxa. These changes were also accompanied by alterations in nitrogen-cycling functions,

The findings highlight the importance of conserving intact forests and restoring degraded lands to protect soil ecosystems in drylands. 

Graphical Abstract "Comparative analysis of soil prokaryotic community structure and function in Ethiopian Church Forests and adjacent habitats"


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