Meadows offer higher levels of soil microbial biodiversity as compared to lawns, according to a study of bacteria and fungi in small-scale meadows that showed higher levels of mycorrhizal fungi and soil chemistry that was more optimal for plant growth in meadows.
Tessler, Michael, Felix J. David, Seth W. Cunningham, and Emily M. Herstoff. Rewilding in Miniature: Suburban Meadows Can Improve Soil Microbial Biodiversity and Soil Health. Microbial Ecology 85, 1077–1086 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00248-023-02171-4