Salvage logging alters microbial community structure and functioning after a wildfire in a Mediterranean forest

Salvage logging is one of the most common post-fire management strategies, known for trigger soil degradation processes. Soil compaction, major disturbance associated with operations, could seriously hamper resilience microorganisms after perturbation produced by fire. The main objective this work was to assess impact salvage on composition and structure bacterial fungi communities, as well correlate these findings changes in physicochemical properties. severely affected microbial Whereas an increase alpha diversity detected treated soils community, functionality registered lower when compared control soils. profoundly altered being modifications driver community shifts. induced operations resulted new niches related anoxic habitats, Proteobacteria Firmicutes families, capable anaerobic respiration, families high abundance In addition, depletion C N nutrients a consequence erosion reduced populations sensitive substrates availability, e.g. Actinomycetales. Ascomycota increased proportionally managed soils, which might be due removal host plants dependent ectomycorrhizal fungi. This study demonstrated that physical performed impacted functions. A deeper understanding relationship between disturbances caused forest biodiversity required. • Post-fire negatively functionality. communities. Aggregate stability response. WSCH controlled