Soil microbial communities and nitrogen associated with cheatgrass invasion in a sagebrush shrubland

Cheatgrass invasion of Intermountain sagebrush steppe in the western United States poses increasing challenges to function and survival this native ecosystem. The invasive success persistence cheatgrass has been attributed soil total nitrogen, but mechanisms behind remain inconclusive. We hypothesized that microorganisms play a role nitrogen associated with invasion. collected samples from root zone cheatgrass, bunchgrass, at two depths adjacent sites April. examined chemical properties (pH, moisture content, NH4+ NO3? concentration) microbial communities. found was different community composition compared bunchgrass sagebrush. In particular, we observed higher relative abundances N2 fixers ureolytic bacteria lower abundance denitrifiers providing potential mechanistic belowground explanation raising nitrogen. Overall, our results indicate importance dominance species. Targeted microbiome interventions should be considered control