Linking soil microbial community structure to potential carbon mineralization: A continental scale assessment of reduced tillage

Potential carbon mineralization (Cmin) is a commonly used indicator of soil health, with greater Cmin values interpreted as healthier soil. While are typically in agricultural soils managed minimal physical disturbance, the mechanisms driving increases remain poorly understood. This study assessed bacterial and archaeal community structure potential microbial drivers maintained under various degrees disturbance. mineralization, 16S rRNA sequences, characterization data were collected part North American Project to Evaluate Soil Health Measurements (NAPESHM). Results showed that type cropping system, intensity pH influenced sensitivity Furthermore, 28% amplicon sequence variants (ASVs), which important modeling Cmin, enriched Sequences identified disturbance for linked organisms could produce extracellular polymeric substances contained metabolic strategies suited tolerating environmental stressors. Understanding how shapes communities across climates inherent properties drives changes provides context necessary evaluate management impacts on standardized measures activity.