Response of soil microbial communities to contrasted histories of phosphorus fertilisation in pastures

► Effects of long-term soil P adjustment on P-cycling microbiota were determined. ► Communities of Actinobacteria and mycorrhizae were linked to soil P status. ► Impacts of fertiliser addition per se were often greater than amounts added. ► P-solubilizing root fungi did not alter in abundance with soil P level. ► The diversity of AMF fungi was higher in soils receiving P fertiliser.