Drivers of soil bacterial community structure and diversity in tropical agroforestry systems

•Stand age had a stronger effect on bacterial community than management type or season.•Young rubber-based AFS maintained bacterial diversity but decreased the abundance.•Mature rubber-based AFS supported higher bacterial diversity with a constant abundance.•Bacterial community exhibited obvious horizon-specific seasonal variation.•Soil pH, AP and DON was the principal drivers of bacterial community characteristics in tropical AFSs.