Safe-Site Effects on Rhizosphere Bacterial Communities in a High-Altitude Alpine Environment

Figure 1

NMDS plot of the three safe-sites and the bare soil site according to UniFrac distance matrix. BS site was a root-free safe-site, RW site was an early developmental floristic stage, FI site was an intermediate stage, and M site was a later stage. Plant sample names are the following: C_isl—Cetraria islandica (L.) Ach.; Clad_sp—Cladonia sp.; D_alp—Diphasiastrum alpinum; F_hal—Festuca halleri All.; G-sup—Gnaphalium supinum L.; L_alp—Leucanthemopsis alpina (L.) Heywood; Pol_sp—Polytrichum sp.; P_aur—Potentilla aurea L.; Rac_sp—Racomitrium sp.; R_fer—Rhododendron ferrugineum; S_alp—Sedum alpestre Vill.; S_car—Senecio carniolicus (Willd.) Braun-Blanq.; S_pro—Sibbaldia procumbens L.; S_aca—Silene acaulis (L.) Jacq.