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Forests
Special Issues
The Role of Soil Fauna and Microbial Communities in Forests
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The Role of Soil Fauna and Microbial Communities in Forests

A special issue of Forests (ISSN 1999-4907). This special issue belongs to the section "Forest Ecology and Management".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 1 August 2026 | Viewed by 663

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Beata Klimek

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 7, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
Interests: soil ecology; soil microbiology; temperate forests; ecotoxicology; functional ecology; plant–soil interactions
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Soil fauna and microbial communities play a crucial role in decomposition and nutrient cycling, as well as in maintaining soil structure. They are, therefore, essential for healthy, sustainable forest ecosystems. However, given the current global challenges around climate change, land degradation, pollution, and biological invasions, the importance of soil microbiota in sustaining soil functionality requires particular attention. Global forest cover and health are decreasing due to various disturbances that not only affect trees, but also other components of biocenoses, resulting in various symptoms of forest decline. This Special Issue invites articles that explore the diverse roles of soil microorganisms and fauna in promoting sustainable forest soil management and ecosystem services. Information about less-studied microbial and faunal groups that play an important role in forest soils, from boreal to tropical regions, is particularly anticipated. Articles exploring the relationship between the biological characteristics of these groups and their functions in so-called ‘old forests’ are especially welcome.

Potential topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Changes in the abundance and diversity of soil biota;
  • Role of microorganisms in soil carbon storage;
  • Molecular diversity and functions of soil biota;
  • Interactions between soil organisms and plants;
  • Adaptation of the soil microbiome to a changing world.

Dr. Beata Klimek
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Forests is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • soil bacteria
  • soil fungi
  • biological diversity
  • soil decomposition rate
  • soil C stock

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 1808 KB  
Article
The Effect of Microplastics on Soil Microbial Activity, Biomass, and Microbial Community Structure in Three Types of Temperate Forest
by Beata Klimek, Maciej Choczyński and Maria Niklińska
Forests 2026, 17(6), 686; https://doi.org/10.3390/f17060686 (registering DOI) - 9 Jun 2026
Abstract
Microplastic pollution is a problem of global concern, but its effects on forest soils are largely overlooked. This study is based on a laboratory experiment where the effects of soil-added polyethylene microplastic particles (MP-) of two sizes (60 μm and 140 μm) (Cospheric [...] Read more.
Microplastic pollution is a problem of global concern, but its effects on forest soils are largely overlooked. This study is based on a laboratory experiment where the effects of soil-added polyethylene microplastic particles (MP-) of two sizes (60 μm and 140 μm) (Cospheric LLC, USA) were measured to examine their effects on three types of temperate forest: dry pine forest, beech-dominated forest, and ash-dominated riparian forest that differ greatly in several physicochemical and biological soil properties. The addition of MP- did not significantly alter the respiration rate of any of the forest soils studied (p = 0.6303), as shown by ANOVA. Soil microbial biomass, as measured by the phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) method, decreased under 60 µm MP treatment but not under 140 µm MP treatment (p = 0.0094). MP- did affect microbial community structure, especially increasing the proportion of bacteria in the community under 60 µm MP treatment (p = 0.0023). MP- affected the PLFA pattern, as shown by PERMANOVA analysis along with NMDS ordination; the effect was similar in the three studied forest types. As shown by SIMPER analysis, there was a relative decrease in fatty acid 16:1ω7 and a simultaneous increase in 16:0 and 18:0 under both MP treatments. This may potentially serve as an indication of MP pollution in temperate forest soils. Our results suggest that forest soil bacteria, as a group, may benefit from MPs at the expense of fungi, which provides a new perspective on how soil microorganisms interact under globally common MP pollution. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Soil Fauna and Microbial Communities in Forests)
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12 pages, 1216 KB  
Article
Tree Species Effects on Microbial Nutrient Limitation in Afforested Mine Soils Revealed by Enzyme Stoichiometry and Substrate-Induced Respiration
by Anastasiia Kovalova and Marcin Chodak
Forests 2026, 17(5), 543; https://doi.org/10.3390/f17050543 - 29 Apr 2026
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Abstract
Microbial nutrient cycling in afforested mine soils may be affected by the plant litter quality. This study investigated how different tree species—Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris), silver birch (Betula pendula), European larch (Larix decidua), and black alder ( [...] Read more.
Microbial nutrient cycling in afforested mine soils may be affected by the plant litter quality. This study investigated how different tree species—Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris), silver birch (Betula pendula), European larch (Larix decidua), and black alder (Alnus glutinosa)—influence microbial carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) limitations in reclaimed sandy mine soils. We combined substrate-induced respiration (SIR) and ecoenzymatic stoichiometry (EES) to diagnose these metabolic constraints. The SIR analysis revealed a universal primary limitation by labile C across all tree species, with glucose addition stimulating respiration by 271%–333%, regardless of the soil organic carbon content. However, EES revealed distinct secondary nutrient constraints driven by species-specific litter quality. Alder stands exhibited severe P limitation, likely due to high P demand for symbiotic N-fixation and intense competition for P between trees and microbes. In contrast, birch stands showed stoichiometric homeostasis and a slight N deficiency. Coniferous species exhibited P limitation and low enzymatic activity, indicating a strategy focused on intensive nutrient acquisition under low-energy conditions associated with recalcitrant needle litter. These findings demonstrate that while energy limitation is a universal constraint in mine soils, tree species determine the nature and intensity of secondary nutrient limitations due to differences in litter stoichiometry. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Soil Fauna and Microbial Communities in Forests)
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