The researchers studied microbial communities in soil using a method called CLPPs to see how they break down carbon sources. They found that even though the soil had different microbes, the patterns of carbon consumption were similar. The dominant microbes were β-Proteobacteria and α-Proteobacteria, which had an advantage in these conditions. The study suggests that CLPPs can show differences in soil microbial communities based on just a few genera, so it's important to use other methods for a more complete analysis.