N and P fertilization enhanced carbon decomposition function by shifting microbes towards an r-selected community in meadow grassland soils

Applications of mineral nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) fertilizer to grasslands become more frequently in recent decade, aiming to improve the grass production. Nonetheless, the ecological impacts of N and P fertilizer on ecosystem components, especially the belowground soil microbes, are not well acknowledged in grasslands ecosystem. We investigated the responses of plant traits, soil properties, bacterial community composition and potential functions to 5-year N and P fertilization in a mid-high latitude meadow grassland in Inner Mongolia, China. Bacterial species richness and diversity significantly (P