The abundance and diversity of legume-nodulating rhizobia and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal communities in soil samples from deforested and man-made forest systems in a semiarid Sahel region in Senegal

► The study implies conservation and sustainable management of microbial resources. ► We describe the abundance and diversity of rhizobia in different land uses. ► We describe the mycorrhizal inculum potential of soils and spore communities. ► The man-made forest has enhanced rhizobia population growth and genetics. ► The man-made forest decreased the soil mycorrhizal communities.