Soil aggregates regulate the impact of soil bacterial and fungal communities on soil respiration

The structural equation modeling (SEM) results show that soil total porosity could directly influence soil respiration. In addition, soil organic carbon and total porosity had a significantly positive direct effect on bacterial Shannon index. Additionally, the soil pH showed a direct negative effect on fungal Shannon index and soil respiration. Soil bacterial and fungal Shannon index had a significantly positive and negative direct effect on soil respiration, respectively. Our study suggests that the difference distribution of soil organic carbon, pH, total porosity in aggregates controlling the soil microbial diversity, and then affect soil aggregate respiration.90