Shrub encroachment enhances soil multifunctionality by promoting interdomain interactions and reducing bacterial network complexity and competition

Shrub encroachment significantly alters both above- and below-ground ecological processes in semi-arid grasslands. However, its effects on soil multifunctionality and the underlying microbial mechanisms are not well understood. This study explored the impact of shrub encroachment on soil multifunctionality, microbial diversity, community composition, and microbial networks (both intra- and interdomain) in a typical semi-arid grassland on the Chinese Loess Plateau. Our findings revealed that shrub encroachment profoundly enhanced soil multifunctionality, closely linked to increased microbial diversity, restructured community composition, and altered patterns of microbial interactions. Specifically, bacterial intradomain links—particularly negative links—decreased, resulting in less complex and potentially less competitive bacterial networks. In contrast, the complexity of bacteria-fungi interdomain networks increased significantly, indicating strengthened interdomain connections. This shift from intense intradomain co-exclusion to enhanced interdomain co-occurrence played key roles in enhancing soil multifunctionality, as supported by the Partial least-square pathway model. Collectively, these findings highlight a strategic shift of soil microbial interaction networks under shrub encroachment, illustrating that the adaptive balance between microbial positive and negative interactions plays a pivotal role in regulating soil multifunctionality. This study advances our understanding of the ecological consequences and mechanisms of shrub encroachment in semi-arid grasslands.

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