Maize/soybean intercropping improves stability of soil aggregates driven by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in a black soil of northeast China

It is demonstrated that intercropping improves soil fertility, but its effect on deep still unclear. The major objective of this study was to determine the distribution arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and aggregates their interrelationship across depths in systems. A three-year positioning experiment based a two-factor experimental design at two N application levels (N0 N2) different cropping systems (maize/soybean corresponding monocultures) started 2017. Soil samples were collected from 0–15 cm 15–30 for analyzing cm, 30–5 45–60 determining AMF composition. observed improved macro-aggregate (> 5 mm) content maize only depth soybean without treatment. decreased depths. Moreover, significantly diversity soils depths, while reduced structural equation modeling analysis indicated system influenced stability promoted formation large by altering nutrients AMF. results further revealed reasons behind fertility improvement adopting crop diversification.