Response of fungal communities to fire in a subtropical peatland

Wildfire, an increasing disturbance in peatlands, could dramatically change carbon stocks and reshape plant/microbial communities, with long-lasting effects on peatland functions. Soil fungi are important controlling the belowground nutrient cycling peatlands; however, impact of altered fire regimes these is still unclear. We assessed fungal abundance, composition, diversity across four soil depths (0–5 cm, 6–10 11–15 16–20 cm) under low-severity high-severity a subtropical southeastern USA. Low-severity significantly increased Shannon saprotrophic 0–5 cm layer immediately after then retracted within 2 years. This pattern was not observed below 5 soils. The dominant class ? Archaeorhizomycetes declined initially returned to pre-low-severity fires levels at depths. Time since primary driver composition 0–10 depth, while spatial distance among sites affected deeper soils (11–20 cm). failed recover unburned state even 30 years fire, especially 6–20 layers. Stratification patterns community were diminished by fire. properties (either phenolics or carbon) drivers shaping reassembly all Collectively, communities seem be highly resilient but shrub-dominated coastal peatlands.