In Southeast Asia and Asia, large swathes of rainforest have been converted to rubber plantations, with major consequences for biodiversity and ecosystem services. However, the impact of this land use conversion on rhizosphere soil mycobiome has not yet been addressed. This study aimed to investigate how rhizosphere soil fungal communities and their associated biological activity (soil respiration, soil methane (CH₄), and potential soil enzyme production) are impacted by the conversion of rainforest to rubber plantations. Fungal richness and community composition in rhizosphere soils collected from natural rainforests, immature rubber, and mature rubber plantations were analyzed using paired-end Illumina sequencing. The conversion of natural rainforest to rubber plantations significantly altered fungal community composition of specific functional groups (saprotrophs, pathogens, and mycorrhiza). We observed significant loss of saprotrophic and ectomycorrhizal fungi in natural rainforests, but enrichment of plant pathogenic fungi in immature rubber plantations. The mechanism underlying the effects of forest conversion on changes in fungal communities is related to reductions in soil pH, total nitrogen (N), and ammonium (NH₄) in rubber plantations. Conversion to rubber plantation also resulted in decline of soil respiration rates and less potential for cellulase and chitinase productions. The significant negative correlations between fungal richness and soil respiration in mature rubber plantations indicated high competition among fungi and low nutrient availability in this system. We demonstrate the negative consequences of the conversion of rainforest to rubber plantations on soil biological activity and significant changes in fungal community composition that could threaten long-term ecosystem functions.

中文翻译：

---

将雨林转变为橡胶种植园会影响根际土壤微生物群落并改变土壤生物活性

在东南亚和亚洲，大片热带雨林已转变为橡胶种植园，对生物多样性和生态系统服务产生重大影响。然而，这种土地利用转变对根际土壤微生物组的影响尚未得到解决。本研究旨在调查根际土壤真菌群落及其相关生物活性（土壤呼吸、土壤甲烷（CH ₄) 和潜在的土壤酶生产) 受到热带雨林转变为橡胶种植园的影响。使用配对末端 Illumina 测序分析从天然雨林、未成熟橡胶和成熟橡胶种植园收集的根际土壤中的真菌丰富度和群落组成。天然雨林向橡胶种植园的转变显着改变了特定功能组（腐生菌、病原体和菌根）的真菌群落组成。我们观察到天然雨林中腐生菌和外生菌根真菌的显着损失，但未成熟橡胶园中植物病原真菌的富集。森林转化对真菌群落变化影响的机制与土壤 pH 值、总氮 (N) 和铵 (NH ₄) 在橡胶种植园。改用橡胶种植园也导致土壤呼吸速率下降，纤维素酶和几丁质酶生产的潜力降低。成熟橡胶园中真菌丰富度与土壤呼吸之间的显着负相关表明该系统中真菌之间的竞争激烈且养分利用率低。我们证明了将雨林转变为橡胶种植园对土壤生物活动的负面影响以及可能威胁长期生态系统功能的真菌群落组成的显着变化。