Exclusion of small mammals and lagomorphs invasion interact with human-trampling to drive changes in topsoil microbial community structure and function in semiarid Chile

Study site characteristics. (A) An exclusion plot inserted in the semiarid thorn scrub in Fray Jorge National Park, Chile. (B) Schematic representation of non-trampled and trampled areas within exclusion plots. In different shades of green, the perennial plant cover, undisturbed soils in light brown and disturbed soils in dark brown. (Black square subplot, non-trampled area; white square subplot, trampled area). (C) Photo of infrequent lichenized-biocrust. (D) VR-PCA for ordination of biological, chemical and physical features of soils from exclusion and trampling treatments (open circles, non-trampled soils; solid circles, trampled soils; BD, bulk density; BSC cover, biocrust cover; TC, total carbon; TN, total nitrogen; NH4, ammonium; NO3, nitrate; SM, soil moisture; SS, soil stability).240