Bacterial communities in soil mimic patterns of vegetative succession and ecosystem climax but are resilient to change between seasons

► Bacterial communities showed patterns of change related to ecosystem development. ► Change was dynamic early and stable late during (~4000 y) ecosystem development. ► Bacterial community structure was not influenced by season. ► Dynamics of plant- and bacteria- communities were synchronized. ► Plant driven pedogenesis is hypothesized as driver of bacterial community change.