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Myxomycetes are the most species-rich Amoebozoa group and one of the major components of soil protist diversity. However, information on their ecology in soil remains surprisingly scarce, since most ecological myxomycete studies focused on microhabitats where fruiting bodies occur. Using DNA metabarcoding method, this study investigated the community of dark-spored myxomycetes in the soil of a subtropical forest in central China. The main predictors of their diversity and community structure were determined based on floristic, edaphic, and seasonal factors. A total of 195 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were detected in 75 soil samples representing six different forest types. Based on sequence similarity, eight myxomycetes were identified, including three nivicolous species that were recorded for the first time in China. The α-diversity and community structure differed significantly between the investigated forest types, and the highest α-diversity was observed in Pinus armandii forests. However, no seasonality was detected for the myxomycete community. Among the investigated environmental factors, forest type was the strongest predictor of the community composition, and soil pH, C:N ratio, and other spatial factors were also significantly correlated with myxomycete communities. In summary, this study provides new insight into the diversity of soil-inhabiting myxomycetes and indicates a strong effect of vegetation on their community composition.
•Nivicolous myxomycetes were found in lowland subtropical forest for the first time.•One OTU (Stemonitis sp.) was identified as a ubiquitous dark-spored myxomycete in soil.•The α-diversity of dark-spored myxomycetes in soil may not positively related to plant diversity.•Forest type surpasses other factors in affecting community of dark-spored myxomycetes in soil of subtropical forest.•Soil pH, nutrient contents and topography were also identified as important drivers of soil myxomycetes.