Plant and soil microbial diversity are linked through a range of interactions, including the exchange of carbon and nutrients but also herbivory and pathogenic effects. Over time, associations between plant communities and their soil microbiota may strengthen and become more specific, resulting in stronger associations between plant and soil microbial diversity. We tested this hypothesis in a 4-year long field experiment in which we factorially combined plant community history and soil legacy with plant diversity (1, 2, 4, 8, 60 species). Plant community history and soil legacy refer to the presence (″old″) or absence (″new″) of a common history of plants and soils in 52 different plant species compositions during 8 years in a long-term biodiversity experiment in Jena, Germany. After 4 years of growth, we took soil samples in the new field experiment and determined soil bacterial and fungal composition in terms of operational taxonomic units (OTUs) using 16S rRNA gene and ITS DNA sequencing. Plant community history did not affect overall soil community composition but differentially affected bacterial richness and abundances of specific bacteria taxa in association with particular plant species compositions. Soil legacy markedly increased soil bacterial richness and evenness and decreased fungal evenness. Soil fungal richness increased with plant species richness, regardless of plant community history or soil legacy, with the strongest difference between plant monocultures and mixtures. Particular plant species compositions and functional groups were associated with particular bacterial and fungal community compositions. Grasses increased and legumes decreased fungal richness and evenness. Our findings indicate that as experimental ecosystems varying in plant diversity develop over 8 years, plant species associate with specific soil microbial taxa. This can have long-lasting effects on belowground community composition in re-assembled plant communities, as reflected in strong soil legacy signals still visible after 4 years of growing new plant communities. Effects of plant community history on soil communities are subtle and may take longer to fully develop.

中文翻译：

---

植物群落历史，土壤遗传和植物多样性对土壤微生物群落的影响

植物和土壤微生物多样性通过一系列相互作用而联系在一起，包括碳和养分的交换以及食草和致病作用。随着时间的流逝，植物群落与其土壤微生物群之间的联系可能会加强并变得更加具体，从而导致植物与土壤微生物多样性之间的联系更加紧密。我们在一项为期4年的长期田间试验中验证了这一假设，在该试验中，我们将植物群落的历史和土壤遗产与植物多样性（1、2、4、8、60种）进行了有理结合。植物群落历史和土壤遗产是指在德国耶拿进行的一项长期生物多样性实验中，在8年中存在（“旧”）或不存在（“新”）的52种不同植物物种组成的植物和土壤的共同历史。 。经过4年的成长，我们在新的田间实验中取样了土壤样品，并使用16S rRNA基因和ITS DNA测序根据操作分类单位（OTU）确定了土壤细菌和真菌的成分。植物群落的历史并没有影响整体土壤群落的组成，但是与特定植物物种的组成相关地影响了细菌丰富度和特定细菌类群的丰度。土壤遗留物显着增加了土壤细菌的丰富度和均匀度，并降低了真菌的均匀度。无论植物群落的历史或土壤有无，土壤真菌的丰富度都随植物物种的丰富度而增加，而植物单一栽培和混合物之间的差异最大。特定的植物物种组成和功能基团与特定的细菌和真菌群落组成有关。草类增加，而豆类则减少了真菌的丰富度和均匀度。我们的发现表明，随着植物多样性变化的实验生态系统发展超过8年，植物物种与特定的土壤微生物类群相关联。这可能对重组后的植物群落中的地下群落组成产生长期影响，这体现在经过4年的新植物群落生长后仍然可见的强烈的土壤遗留信号。植物群落历史对土壤群落的影响是微妙的，可能需要更长的时间才能充分发展。这可能对重组后的植物群落中的地下群落组成产生长期影响，这反映在经过4年的新植物群落生长后仍然可见的强烈的土壤遗留信号。植物群落历史对土壤群落的影响是微妙的，可能需要更长的时间才能充分发展。这可能对重组后的植物群落中的地下群落组成产生长期影响，这体现在经过4年的新植物群落生长后仍然可见的强烈的土壤遗留信号。植物群落历史对土壤群落的影响是微妙的，可能需要更长的时间才能充分发展。