Forest conversion in subtropical ecosystems reduces soil microbial phosphorus potential

Phosphorus is a critical factor limiting ecosystem productivity in subtropical ecosystems. Deforestation alters element stocks and cycling, leading to changes in the soil microbiome. However, the impacts of native forest conversion on the capacity of microbes to support phosphorus availability remain unknown. Here, we investigate the responses of soil microbial phosphorus cycling after native subtropical forests conversion to plantations and croplands across southern China. Increases in soil pH and phosphorus content after forest conversion alter microbial phosphorus cycling in plantations and croplands. Croplands have the declined functional potentials for phosphorus solubilization and mineralization, and the diversity of the key phosphorus-solubilizing bacterial taxa in Burkholderiaceae and Enterobacteriaceae is reduced. Our work highlights the importance of conserving soil phosphorus biogeochemical cycles to support the restoration of deforested environments and the sustainability of managed ecosystems. © 2025 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.