Trophic Regulations of the Soil Microbiome

Abstract

The soil microbiome regulates vital ecosystem functions ranging from primary production to soil carbon sequestration. Yet, we have only begun to understand the factors regulating the soil microbiome. While the importance of abiotic factors is increasingly recognized, the roles of trophic regulations in driving the structure and function of the soil microbiome remain less explored. Here, we review the current understanding of how and when microbial and top predators of the soil shape the community structure and function of the soil microbiome via both direct and indirect effects. We finally highlight that the structure and function of the soil microbiome depend on the interactive effects among predation, plant inputs, and abiotic variables present in the soil.

Keywords: bacteria; climate change; food webs; fungi; predators; top-down control.