Functional Diversity of Soil Microbial Community after Conversion of a Chestnut Forest to an Agricultural System

A study conducted in the UNESCO-listed Cilento and Vallo di Diano National Park revealed that converting a chestnut forest to agricultural land for bean cultivation led to a decline in soil microbial activity, primarily due to reduced organic matter content. Despite this, no significant changes were observed in substrate utilization patterns over time. Researchers used two complementary methods—Degens' catabolic response profile and Biolog community-level physiological profiling—to assess functional diversity. The former was more effective at distinguishing between forest and agricultural soils, while the latter captured seasonal variability. These findings underscore the sensitivity of soil microbial communities to land-use changes and highlight the importance of monitoring such transitions in protected areas.

Iovieno, P., Scotti, R., & Zaccardelli, M. (2021). Functional Diversity of Soil Microbial Community after Conversion of a Chestnut Forest to an Agricultural System. Agriculture, 11(1), 43. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture11010043