Differences in the soil microbiomes of Pentaclethra macroloba across tree size and in contrasting land use histories

Aims Legacy attributes from land-use history have lingering effects on soil and its below-ground components undergoing succession that has important consequences for regenerating tropical secondary forests. Yet, even landscapes of similar origins with analogous land-use histories have exhibited differing routes of forest recovery with different outcomes. There is increasing evidence that tree species-generated soil microbial heterogeneity is an important factor in facilitating regeneration, particularly nitrogen (N)-fixing tree species. However, it is unclear how land-use history influences the soil microbiome of important N-fixing plants developing under these conditions; at different life stages of N-fixing plant development; and how this compares to a primary forest. Methods We examined differences in composition of the soil bacterial and fungal communities and their determinants (i.e. soil environmental factors) associated with large-, medium-, and small-sized Pentaclethra macroloba trees in a primary forest and in a 23-year-old secondary forest with contrasting land-use histories. Results We show that as Pentaclethra increases in size (and/or age), the soil microbiome associated with Pentaclethra also changes, and that these soil microbiomes can become similar even when developed in soils of contrasting land-use histories. We found that soil NH 4 + and NO 3 − explained 61% of the variation in the soil bacterial community composition of small trees between the primary and secondary forest. Conclusions This highlights the importance of inorganic N during tree soil microbiome development in contrasting land-use history of soils. Our findings suggest that legacy effects on may be mediated through size (and/or age) of Pentaclethra and its associated soil microbiome.