Turf translocation, which is undertaken to mitigate the destruction of valuable habitats, can challenge the soil biota. We investigated translocated protected Molinion meadows in the context of the surrounding environments. Soil and soil microorganisms were examined in meadows translocated four years earlier to a habitat garden in recycled land. Neighbouring habitats, comprised of woodland, cropland and fallow, represented the receptor area, while meadows that remained near the donor area were treated as reference areas. The soil moisture, compaction, reactivity and nutrient availability were examined. The microbial properties studied included taxon-specific markers for a quantitative PCR and Fatty Acid Analysis, N transformation (nitrification potential and ammonia oxygenase gene quantification), as well as the composition and diversity of bacteria, archaea, fungi and protists through soil DNA metabarcoding. The translocated soils were more compacted and had smaller water retention, which impacted the soil communities. A switch from N immobilisation to ammonification and a high diversity of fungi, including a greater richness of saprotrophic and symbiotrophic species occurred, with a higher relative abundance of Ascomycota. Amendments in Stramenopila, Chlorophyta and Alveolata communities were present. A low ratio of ammonia oxidising archaea and bacteria (AOA:AOB; 0.4 translocated vs. 4.9 reference) indicated a degradation of the wet meadow status, which created a suitable environment for copiotrophs. The initial increase in biodiversity pointed out habitat deterioration leading to the loss of specific, protected communities. The use of 'omics' was a sensitive indicator of changes that occurred at the level of the microbiome structure rather than the biomass.

Department of Ecology Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Ulls Väg 16 756 51 Uppsala Sweden; Department of Agroecology Aarhus University Forsøgsvej 1 4200 Slagelse Denmark

Institute of Environmental Sciences Faculty of Biology Jagiellonian University in Krakow Gronostajowa 7 Kraków Poland

Institute of Geography and Spatial Organization Polish Academy of Sciences Św Jana 22 31 018 Kraków Poland

Institute of Soil Biology and Biogeochemistry Biology Centre CAS Na Sádkách 702 7 CZ 37005 České Budějovice Czech Republic

Institute of Systematics and Evolution of Animals Polish Academy of Sciences Sławkowska 17 31 016 Kraków Poland

Mycology and Microbiology Centre University of Tartu Liivi 2 50400 Tartu Estonia; Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences University of Tartu Liivi 2 Tartu 50400 Estonia

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