Bacterial community structure modulates soil phosphorus turnover at early stages of primary succession

Microbes are the drivers of soil phosphorus (P) cycling in terrestrial ecosystems; however, the role of soil microbes in mediating P cycling in P-rich soils during primary succession remains uncertain. This study examined the impacts of bacterial community structure (diversity and composition) and its functional potential (absolute abundances of P-cycling functional genes) on soil P cycling along a 130-year glacial chronosequence on the eastern Tibetan Plateau. Bacterial community structure was a better predictor of soil P fractions than P-cycling genes along the chronosequence. After glacier retreat, the solubilization of inorganic P and the mineralization of organic P were significantly enhanced by increased bacterial diversity, changed interspecific interactions, and abundant species involved in soil P mineralization, thereby increasing P availability. Although 84% of P-cycling genes were associated with organic P mineralization, these genes were more closely associated with soil organic carbon than with organic P. Bacterial carbon demand probably determined soil P turnover, indicating the dominant role of organic matter decomposition processes in P-rich alpine soils. Moreover, the significant decrease in the complexity of the bacterial co-occurrence network and the taxa-gene-P network at the later stage indicates a declining dominance of the bacterial community in driving soil P cycling with succession. Our results reveal that bacteria with a complex community structure have a prominent potential for biogeochemical P cycling in P-rich soils during the early stages of primary succession.