Soil fungal communities differ among forest types but show limited response to cessation of ecosystem engineering by the superb Lyrebird (Menura novaehollandiae)

Animals that disturb soil – bioturbators and ecosystem engineers – influence soil fungal communities by altering the litter, soil structure, and microclimates. They can also consume fungi and disperse fungal spores. We tested whether foraging by the superb lyrebird Menura novaehollandiae, a prolific soil-disturbing passerine, affects soil fungal composition, richness, and diversity. Across three forest types in south-eastern Australia, we applied replicated experimental treatments (lyrebird exclusion, simulated lyrebird foraging, access by lyrebirds) and sampled fungal communities over two years using ITS amplicon sequencing. Fungal composition varied strongly between forest types, despite close spatial proximity, with rainforest soils showing lower richness but higher diversity. However, cessation of lyrebird foraging had no detectable short-term effect on fungal communities over the two-year study. This is likely due to a time-lag in fungal communities responding to altered conditions, especially given a legacy of adaptation to patchy disturbance by lyrebirds over millennia. Our work highlights the need for longer-term studies to uncover the effects of animal-driven soil turnover on fungal community composition and maintenance.