High-severity fire simplifies soil microbial networks contributing to carbon limitation in subalpine forests of the Tibetan Plateau

Key Points

• Soil microbial networks simplify significantly after high-severity fire events, impacting carbon storage.
• Notably, fires reduced microbial diversity, which undermines carbon cycling processes essential for forest health.
• Observational analysis across subalpine forests on the Tibetan Plateau highlights the interconnectedness of fire, soil organisms, and carbon dynamics.
• Understanding these changes may help in developing strategies for forest management and carbon sequestration efforts.