This project aims to explore the diversity of soil microbial communities across different agroecosystems in Viti Levu, Fiji, and their response to land use change and climate pressures.

The soil microbial communities will be characterised using molecular and biochemical techniques. Additionally, a short-term perturbation experiment based on a dry-wet cycle will be conducted to assess the stability capacity of microbial communities under disturbances. Following this and using pre-conditioned soil samples, a microbial diversity-ecosystem function experiment will be conducted to understand plant-microbe response to soil legacy.

Soil microbial communities are a fundamental component of soil biodiversity. They play an important role in driving key processes that are essential for the functioning of our agroecosystems. In return, they provide multiple ecosystem services that are critical to our livelihood and the sustainability of our environment.

Fiji is increasingly affected by agricultural intensification, deforestation, and climate change, all of which have the potential to alter belowground microbial communities and the ecosystem services they provide. Despite their importance, relatively little is known about the diversity, composition, and resilience of soil microbial communities in Fiji or across Pacific Island Countries and Territories. Improving our understanding of these communities will help inform sustainable land management and strengthen the resilience of Pacific agroecosystems under future environmental change.

• To characterise soil microbial diversity and community composition across mosaic agroecosystems on Viti Levu, Fiji.
• To assess the stability of soil microbial communities and key functional indicators under short-term dry–wet perturbations across contrasting land uses.
• To determine how soil legacy effects influence plant–microbe interactions and plant productivity.