Diversity characteristics and driving factors of soil protist communities in subalpine meadow at different degradation stages

Abstract

Aims: Protists play an important role in nutrient cycling, microbiome stability and soil fertility maintenance. Compared with bacteria and fungi, the change characteristics and driving factors of soil protist community composition and diversity in degraded grassland ecosystems remain unclear. The aim of this study was to explore the community dynamics of soil protists during the degradation of subalpine meadow in Mount Wutai and its driving factors, and to