Editor's Choice recognition for a joint publication of AK and BD scientists

This award has been given to a joint publication from scientists of the Thünen Institutes Climate Smart Agriculture and Biodiversity in which they assessed the link between soil organic matter and bacterial diversity in European soils. While previously it was assumed that pH is the most important driver of bacterial diversity, this study demonstrates, by analyzing the soil metagenome and carbon fractions, that the quality of soil organic carbon is equally important. These results can support the evaluation of ecological consequences of land use and climate change.