Soil culturable microbial diversity in an undisturbed montane cloud forest of Oaxaca, Mexico

Montane cloud forests are among the most threatened ecosystems globally. These forests face several stressors, such as deforestation and climate change, jeopardizing their functional sustainability. Although microbial communities act as key regulators of the soil nutrient cycles, microfungal and bacterial diversity remains largely unknown in this ecosystem. We evaluated cultivable soil microbial diversity associated with the soil below iconic plant taxa (Cyatheaceae and Juglandaceae) in a pristine montane cloud forest of Mexico, and explored small-scale ecological patterns linked to edaphic biogeochemical variables. Our findings revealed the copious occurrence of entomopathogenic fungi such as Tolypocladium geodes and potentially phosphate solubilizer bacteria such as Pseudomonas and Bacillus spp. We observed a strong association between edaphic microbial assemblages and environmental variables such as soil C:N:P availability. This close relationship with the physical setting should be considered for the development of management and in situ conservation strategies aiming to preserve microbial functions.