The extent to which past disturbances influence present‐day microbial composition and assembly remains poorly understood, especially in extreme environments such as deserts. Using a phylogenetic framework of diversity partitioning, linked to soil composition, we aimed to disentangle the impacts of past disturbance on present‐day bacterial and fungal communities, where we also distinguish abundant and rare taxa. Our findings de...

In arid regions, excessive water use threatens agricultural sustainability and overall livelihoods. It is essential to minimize water consumption to address these issues. Date palm ( Phoenix dactylifera L.) is an emblematic crop of arid regions and a major water consumer. Adapting current irrigation systems to be more water-efficient systems could help cope with the water consumption of this crop. Microbial communities associa...

Main conclusion Emblematic Vachellia spp. naturally exposed to hyper-arid conditions, intensive grazing, and parasitism maintain a high nitrogen content and functional mutualistic nitrogen-fixing symbioses. Abstract AlUla region in Saudi Arabia has a rich history regarding mankind, local wildlife, and fertility islands suitable for leguminous species, such as the emblematic Vachellia spp. desert trees. In this region, we inves...

Human activities have affected the surrounding natural ecosystems, including belowground microorganisms, for millennia. Their short‐ and medium‐term effects on the diversity and the composition of soil microbial communities are well‐documented, but their lasting effects remain unknown. When unoccupied for centuries, archaeological sites are appropriate for studying the long‐term effects of past human occupancy on natural ecosy...

The fungus Pisolithus albus forms ectomycorrhizal (ECM) associations with plants growing on extreme ultramafic soils, which are naturally rich in heavy metals such as nickel. Both nickel‐tolerant and nickel‐sensitive isolates of P. albus are found in ultramafic soils in New Caledonia, a biodiversity hotspot in the Southwest Pacific. The aim of this work was to monitor the expression of genes involved in the specific molecular...