Summary
This systematic review examined integrated assessments of forest restoration that simultaneously measure above- and below-ground ecosystem responses. The authors analysed 30 studies from the Scopus database, finding that only 17 evaluated all searched parameters together. The review reveals that microbial community composition and function respond predictably to restoration, with bacteria shifting from oligotrophic to copiotrophic dominance and fungi transitioning from saprophytic to ectomycorrhizal dominance, patterns that varied by forest biome and were shaped by soil chemistry, plant diversity, and vegetation structure.
Regional applicability
The findings may inform UK woodland restoration practices, particularly in identifying soil microbial indicators of restoration success. However, the severe geographic bias in the literature (14 of 17 integrated studies based in China) limits direct applicability to British forest types and temperate restoration contexts, suggesting a need for UK-focused integrated assessment studies.
Key measures
Plant diversity, vegetation structure, ecosystem functions, soil microbial community composition (taxonomic diversity), bacteria taxa richness, fungal taxa richness, bacteria functional groups (oligotrophic vs copiotrophic dominance), fungal functional groups (saprophytic vs ectomycorrhizal dominance), environmental DNA-based microbial profiling
Outcomes reported
The study systematically reviewed integrated assessments of forest restoration that measured plant diversity, vegetation structure, ecosystem functions, and soil microbial communities using environmental DNA. The review identified patterns in how microbial taxonomic and functional diversity respond to restoration efforts and tree community succession across different forest biomes.
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