Figure 1. Fungal: bacterial ratio and microbial PLFA abundances (both total and key groups) (mean ± SE) in leaf litter samples collected at four sampling dates (days after incubation commenced, DAI).

European beech age-class forest (BA, blue), European beech selection cutting forest (BS, red) and unmanaged deciduous forest reserves dominated by European beech (BU, green). Litter DM = litter dry mass. Different letters indicate significant differences (P < 0.05) between different treatments at each DAI according to one-way ANOVA and Fisher's Least Significant Difference (from 89 DAI to 473 DAI).